The Chicago Red Stars came into Yurcak Field on Saturday and defeated Sky Blue FC 3-1, putting a damper on Sky Blue’s hopes of getting into the playoffs. Chicago now has a firm hold on third place and are only one point behind the Portland Thorns, who sit in second place.
Sky Blue had chances to score, but Alyssa Naeher, returning from the Olympics, was able to stop almost everything that came her way.
New Red Star Stephanie McCaffrey, who was traded to Chicago from Boston in late July, played her second game for the Red Stars and scored her second goal of the season in the 31st minute, a beautiful shot from the right side that went over Sky Blue goalkeeper Caroline Stanley’s head and caught the inside of the far post.
Sky Blue almost equalized a few minutes later during a crazy scramble in front of the Red Stars goal, when Sam Kerr appeared to score, but Sarah Killion was ruled offside. Sky Blue head coach Christy Holly was asked his opinion of the play and after joking that he didn’t want to get in trouble with his response, said “I’ve gotta sit and watch it again, but from what I saw the ball crossed the line and [Killion] wasn’t offside. So I’ll leave it at that.”
Christen Press made the score 2-0 in the 73rd minute and Sofia Huerta added the third goal seven minutes later to seemingly put the game to bed.
Sky Blue’s Kelley O’Hara did not start the game after just rejoining the team the day before the game, but was ready to get into the game after halftime. She entered in the 47th minute at left back and immediately made an impact, making forward runs and injecting energy into the lineup.
In stoppage time, with the score 3-0, Chicago’s Alyssa Mautz, who entered the game in the 68th minute, made a terrible tackle on O’Hara from behind which left O’Hara crumpled on the pitch in obvious pain and earned Mautz her third yellow card of the season. O’Hara was carried from the field by the athletic trainers, not putting any pressure on her right ankle, and was seen leaving Yurcak on crutches with a boot on her right foot. She had reconstructive surgery on her right ankle in 2013 and missed most of the NWSL season that year.
Chicago head coach Rory Dames said “Alyssa [Mautz] is not a dirty player. Alyssa’s been struggling to find form, so we put her in when the game was still in doubt. Alyssa’s just running hard trying to find her way back in, I don’t think she had any intent.”
Moments after play resumed, Sam Kerr scored Sky Blue’s lone goal after she was left unmarked in the box.
Hanging over every game in the league this weekend is the spectre of US Soccer’s decision to suspend goalkeeper Hope Solo for six months and terminate her national team contract. Red Stars keeper Alyssa Naeher seems to be in line to step into the number one keeper position on the national team, but she said her focus right now is completely on the NWSL and making the playoffs with Chicago and she’ll think about the national team when it’s time to get back into camp.
Up next, Sky Blue (6-6-4, 22 points) takes on FC Kansas City (4-7-4, 16 points) on the road on Sunday, September 4th. Three points in that game would keep Sky Blue in the playoff race. FCKC has been struggling this season and currently sit in 8th place. They then immediately return to New Jersey and play a midweek game on Wednesday, September 7th against the Orlando Pride.
