Chicago Red Stars 1-2 Kansas City Current
BRIDGEVIEW, IL—For almost an hour, the Chicago Red Stars were in control and looked more likely to add to their lead, but didn’t. For the remainder of the match, the Kansas City Current found their footing and poached a pair of goals to get the three points with a 2-1 win at SeatGeek Stadium.
The win puts the Current atop the Central in the NWSL Challenge Cup with the Red Stars second ahead of Houston who defeated Racing Louisville earlier in the evening.
It was the Red Stars who did most of the attacking in the first half and were rewarded in the 22nd minute when Vanessa DiBernardo’s shot deflected off Alex Lorea and past Adrianna Franch to give the hosts the lead. The Red Stars had multiple opportunities to add to their lead with the closest chance coming in 52nd minute when Mallory Pugh shot a free kick off the crossbar. Pugh had an earlier chance that went just over the bar.
The Current were fortunate to be down just a goal at that point, but six mintues after Pugh struck the crossbar, they were no longer behind. Hallie Mace unleashed a rocket from 25 yards out that beat Alyssa Naeher to equalize for the visitors.
Kansas City had found their footing and gained confidence going forward and that would ultimately lead to the match winner four minutes from time when Mace found Kristen Hamilton making a run and the latter would score from point-blank range.
The Red Stars would get no closer and the Current would get a win that did not seem likely in the first 55 minutes or so of this match.
“We should have been up four or five-nothing,” said Red Stars head coach Chris Petrucelli. “We had the game in total control in the first half and even in the beginning of the second half and we crumbled a little bit. We gave up the first one and panicked and never really established possession and never really took the game back over. I felt like we really had three points in our hand and we threw them away.”
The Red Stars remain home on Wednesday to take on Racing Louisville in Bridgeview. Kickoff is at 6:30pm on Paramount+.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Vanessa DiBernardo (unassisted) 22
KC-Hallie Mace (Labonta) 58
KC-Kristen Hamilton (Mace) 86
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Arin Wright (caution, tactical foul) 54
KC-Jenna Winebrenner (caution, reckless tackle) 68
KC-Elyse Bennett (caution, reckless foul) 77
CHI-Ava Cook (caution, reckless foul) 90+2
CHICAGO RED STARS (3-4-3): #1-Alyssa Naeher; #20-Zoe Morse, #28-Kayla Sharples, #23-Tatumn Milazzo; #22-Bianca St. Georges (#4-Alyssa Mautz 59), #10-Vanessa DiBernardo (#15-Sarah Griffith 59), #24-Danielle Colaprico, #3-Arin Wright (#14-Jill Aguilera 76); #7-Yuki Nagasato, #9-Mallory Pugh, #8-Ella Stevens (#25-Ava Cook 59)
Subs not used: #21-Emily Boyd, #18-Samantha Fisher, #19-Channing Foster, #26-Mikenna McManua
KANSAS CITY CURRENT (4-3-3): #21-Adrianna Franch; #3-Kristen Edmonds, #19-Jenna Winebrenner, #22-Alex Lorea (#7-Elizabeth Hall 46), #4-Hailie Mace; #14-Chardonnay Curran (#18-Izzy Rodriguez 78), #11-Desiree Scott, #15-Sam Mewis (#8-Kate Del Fava 46); #25-Kristen Hamilton, #10-Lo’eau Labonta (#24-Taylor Leach 90+1), #28-Addie McCain (#23-Elyse Bennett 71)
Subs not used: #38-Cassie Miller, #13-Maddie Wolf, #16-Jaycie Johnson, #31-Sydney Schneider
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 13-9 KC
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 3-2 KC
FOULS: CHI 11-14 KC
OFFSIDES: CHI 4-3 KC
CORNER KICKS: CHI 1-2 KC
SAVES: CHI 0-2 KC
Referee: Greg Dopka
Assistant Referees: Art Arustamyan, Kali Smith
4th Official: Seun Yinka-Kehinde
Weather: Cloudy and 41º
Attendance: 2,604
Woman of the Match: Hallie Mace (KC)
