Chicago Red Stars’ forward, Sofia Huerta, netted her first goal of the season, but the team couldn’t hang on to the shut out. Sky Blue substitute, Leah Galton, also found the net for the first time this season to put the visitors on even terms. The 1-1 draw maintains Chicago’s unbeaten streak against Sky Blue.
Over the course of the opening half hour of the match, both teams attempted to build their attacks through the midfield. Bits of nice combination play from both sides were usually thwarted before they became dangerous. The few forays into the final third were easily contained. Finally, after 30 minutes, the Red Stars generated the some quality chances. Alyssa Mautz had the first opportunity, firing a shot from about 20 yards out. Sky Blue goalkeeper, Caroline Stanley made a leaping save and held the ball cleanly.
Chicago’s breakthrough came in the 34th minute after a nice bit of build up. Danielle Colaprico played a long, rolling pass through the Sky Blue defense to Sofia Huerta. She collected the pass and touched it to the right around Stanley at the top of the 18. Huerta’s touch gave her a difficult angle for the shot, but she made no mistake, driving the ball into the net for her first goal of the season.
Sky Blue almost found the equalizer in the 51st minute. Shawna Gordon pounced on a mishandled pass in the Chicago back line and fired a shot just wide of the Red Stars’ empty net. Ten minutes later, Huerta nearly put Chicago up two in a play almost identical to her first half goal. Arin Gilliland played a long ball forward from near her own 18. Jen Hoy flicked it forward to the charging Huerta. She beat the defender for her second 1-v-1 chance of the match against the Sky Blue goalkeeper. This time, Stanley stood her ground, forcing Huerta to shoot just wide of the far right post.
A lovely Sky Blue cross and some poor defending were Chicago’s undoing. In the 70th minute, Sky Blue’s Taylor Lytle picked up the ball on Chicago’s right flank. Lytle’s uncontested cross found Leah Galton wide open on the far post. Galton easily trapped the ball and placed a left-footed shot into the Red Stars’ net, drawing the visitors even.
With the national team players away for Thursday’s friendly match with Japan, the Red Stars were clearly lacking in leadership and their decision-making and speed of play suffered. In several instances, they were lucky Sky Blue left defensive miscues unpunished. On the offensive side of the ball, Chicago still are having a hard time building their attack through the midfield. Their goal and their best chance again came from long balls. However, Red Stars head coach Rory Dames wouldn’t cite the absence of the national team players as an excuse, saying
“Do they [the national team players] make a difference? Of course they make a difference, but it doesn’t affect… All the players in the midfield are the same. Katie and Sam have played together plenty. Arin and Casey are the same. Jen, Sofia, Mautz, those guys all play. So I don’t think that’s an excuse for the performance.”
On a positive note, Sofia Huerta opened her scoring account for the season. Hopefully, this will give her more confidence in the coming matches. Encouragingly, defenders Arin Gilliland and Casey Short continue to be very active in attack.
Be sure to check out the match photo gallery.
Next match:
Next weekend, the NWSL will be on break as the dates are sanctioned by FIFA for international matches and clubs must make their players available for their national teams.
In two weeks, Chicago (4-1-2, 14 pts, 1st place) hosts the Portland Thorns (3-0-4, 13 pts, 2nd place). The battle between the current first and second place teams kicks off at 5pm CDT, Sunday, 12 June.
Sky Blue (2-3-2, 8 pts, 6th place) returns home to face FC Kansas City (1-4-2, 5pts, 9th place) at 7pm EDT on Saturday, 11 June.
Lineups:
Chicago Red Stars 4-4-2 (Flat back with diamond midfield)
Dalton; Gilliland, Naughton, Johnson, Short; Mautz, Colaprico, DiBernardo (C), Da Costa; Huerta, Hoy
Substitutes:
68’ Comeau for Da Costa
71’ Walls for Mautz
88’ Raetzman for Colaprico
Sky Blue FC 4-5-1
Stanley; Simon, Skroski, Rampone (C), Grubka; Lytle, Conheeney, Rodriguez, Killion, Gordon; DeCesare
Substitutes:
53’ Galton for Gordon
63’ Kai for Decesare
89’ Stanton for Kai
Goals:
34’ Chicago – Huerta (Hoy)
70’ Sky Blue – Galton (Lytle)
Misconduct:
57’ Yellow – reckless foul: Galton (SBFC)
