The Chicago Red Stars and Portland Thorns both maintain their unbeaten streaks with a 1-1 draw. The match was destined to be a low-scoring affair as the two toughest defenses in the league faced off. Portland had conceded four goals coming into the match, Chicago only five. There were few good chances in the match and each team needed a bit of luck to help them score.
Portland had the first good chance of the match. Allie Long drove forward uncontested through the center of the park and played the ball wide to Nadia Nadim at the right edge of the penalty area. Nadim sent a low, driven cross to the top of the Red Stars’ goal area. Christine Sinclair slid into the cross, but Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher managed to block the shot.
That chance helped the Thorns build momentum. Their breakthrough came in the 24th minute. Christine Sinclair applied pressure as the Red Stars’ defense made an ill-advised back-pass to Naeher. Naeher cleared the ball directly into the on-rushing Sinclair. A bit of birthday luck was on Sinclair’s side and the ball rebounded off of her into Chicago’s net. The goal is Sinclair’s first of the season as she has been recovering from an injury to her Achilles tendon.
The Red Stars finally earned their first corner kick of the match at the half hour mark. Vanessa DiBernardo’s kick floated to the head of Casey Short. Short’s header was going wide to the left of the net, but Amanda Da Costa turned it into a serious chance. Da Costa’s bicycle kick was blocked, point-blank, by Thorns’ goalkeeper Adrianna Franch. The loose ball ping-ponged around and Franch eventually fell on it.
Eight minutes later, the Thorns nearly had their second goal. Tobin Heath took the ball down the left flank and despite being double teamed, put a lovely cross into Dagny Brynjarsdottir in Chicago’s goal area. Her leaping header went just over the crossbar and landed on the roof of the net.
After the break, Chicago came out pressing. Their high energy and a some luck brought about the equalizer in the 61st minute. Casey Short sent a long, flighted ball from the left flank directly to Alyssa Mautz. Mautz trapped the pass with her chest to Christen Press. Press struck a first-time half-volley from the top of the 18. Portland’s Franch punched the shot, but the spin on the ball carried it behind her. The ball caromed off the crossbar. The forward spin was enough for the ball to bounce into the goal. Franch desperately dove into the net after it and threw it back out onto the field, but the referees correctly awarded the goal.
Red Star Sofia Huerta got her first yellow card of the season for encroachment on a free kick in the 74th minute setting off a deluge of yellow cards.. Alyssa Mautz joined her in the referee’s book the very next minute for recklessly jumping into Tobin Heath. Ten minutes later, Arin Gilliland became the third Red Star shown the yellow card. Portland’s Nadia Nadim rounded out the bookings with her yellow for a reckless challenge on Julie Johnston in the 88th minute.
The Red Stars did a good job getting numbers behind the ball and successfully contained Thorns’ playmakers Tobin Heath, Lindsay Horan, and Allie Long. Chicago built on their defensive success and eventually controlled the match. However, they are still having trouble entering the final third as a group. As in previous matches, the Red Stars seemed content to play long, hopeful balls that were easily collected by Portland’s goalkeeper. While the long ball tactic has paid off, Christen Press now leads the league in goals, it would be nice to see the Red Stars get more creative in attack and spread the scoring around.
Next Match:
Chicago (4-1-3, 15 pts tie for first) hosts the Boston Breakers (1-6-1, 4pts) on Saturday, 18 June. Kick off is at 7pm CDT.
Portland (3-0-5, 14pts) visit Western New York Flash (5-3-0, 15pts tie for first) on Friday 17 June. Kick off is at 7pm EDT.
Lineups:
Chicago Red Stars 4-4-2 (Flat back with diamond midfield)
Naeher; Gilliland, Johnston, Johnson, Short; Colaprico, DiBernardo, Hoy, Da Costa; Press (C) , Huerta
Substitutes:
46’ Mautz for Hoy
68’ Comeau for Da Costa
84’ Walls for Huerta
Portland Thorns
Franch; Reynolds, Sonnet, Menges, Klingenberg; Long, Horan, Nadim, Sinclair (C), Heath; Brynjarsdottir
Substitutes:
59’ Morris for Brynjarsdottir
90’ Raso for Nadim
Goals:
24’ Sinclair
61’ Press (Mautz)
Misconduct:
74’ Yellow Huerta (CHI)
75’ Yellow Mautz (CHI)
84’ Yellow Gilliland (CHI)
88’ Yellow Nadim (POR)
