BRIDGEVIEW, IL–On the road, the Orlando Pride scored a pair of goals from Jodie Parker and Sydney Leroux and shutout host Chicago Red Stars 2-0 at SeatGeek Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Orlando got on the board first in the 15th minute of play, when Parker received a long service from Ali Krieger. She managed to control the ball in front of three Red Stars’ defenders and placed it in the corner of the net. It was also a first for Parker with the Pride.
“Great to get the goal, being my first goal with the club,” Parker said. “It was also good to get three points. It takes time figure the philosophy and it takes time to be building, Taking three points on the road is an improvement. We’ve had more freedom in the last couple of weeks and it shows in practice and in games.”.
The Pride added an insurance goal in the 89th minute. Leroux took a pass from Emily Tymrak and hit a shot into the low corner for the 2-0 advantage.
“Feels good for getting three points on the road for a playoff push,” Tymrak said. “Taking a year off takes a toll on you. I’m starting to get my confidence, once we play more and more with each other, we will get to know our tendencies. As for the goal, I was going for the corner, I saw Sydney make a run and figured why not. She made a finish on that one.”
Orlando (5-4-5, 20 points) have matched Chicago (6-6-2, 20 points) for third place along with Gotham FC (5-2-5, 20 points in the NWSL standings and broke a six-match winless streak.
“We knew that we had a handful that Chicago had been on a tear,” said Becky Burleigh head coach Orlando, who won her first game coaching with the Pride. “We were fortunate to score a couple of nice goals. We had some really great block shots and cleared balls in the air. Everybody was helping each other on the defense.”
Red Stars’ Morgan Guatrat left the game with a right leg injury in the 57th minute and Morgan Guatrat left the match on a hard tackle in the 71st minute.
“Tackles come into the game, three tackles have no business in this league,” Chicago head coach Rory Dames said. “Not the referees’ fault, how we lost the game. We have two players on crutches with them getting MRI’s tomorrow. It’s something, really don’t want to see in this league.”
The Red Stars had a 14-8 shot advantage over the Pride in the match and seemed in control. Except for a finishing touch in the final third.
“I thought we were all over the team, where I thought we can score two or three goals,” Dames said. “Credit to Orlando, they have some really good players to play against. I thought it was the best game we’ve played in the last 6 games.”
Chciago next travels to play the Courage in North Carolina next Sunday at 5 p.m. CT, while Orlando hosts Portland next Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.
SCORING SUMMARY
ORL-Jodie Taylor (Ali Krieger) 15′
ORL- Sydney Leroux (Erika Tymrak) 89′
BOOKING SUMMARY:
ORL-Jodie Taylor (yellow, unsporting behavior) 44′
ORL-Amy Turner (yellow-unsporting behavior) 45+2
ORL-Taylor Kornieck (yellow-unsporting behavior) 68
CHI-Bench (yellow, dissent) 73
CHICAGO RED STARS (4-3-3): #38-Cassie Miller, #23-Tatum Miazzo, #4-Alyssa Mautz (#15-Makenzy Doniak , #28-Kayla Sharples, #11-Sarah Gorden, #24-Danielle Colaprico (#18-Ella Stevens 72), #16-Sarah Woldmoe, #13-Morgan Gautrat (#33-Katie Johnson 62), #9-Mallory Pugh, #2-Kealia Watt, #5-Rachel Hill (#19-Sarah Luebbert 73)
Subs not used: #21-Emily Boyd, #7-Nikki Stanton, #14-Zoe Morse, #32-Zoe Goralski, #22-Bianca St. Geroges.
ORLANDO PRIDE (4-3-3): #24-Ashlynn Harris, #17-Courtney Petersen (#23-Kylie Strom 90+1), #4-Amy Turner, #11-Ali Krieger, #7-Ali Riley (#21-Phoebe McClernon 46), #8-Gunny Jonsdottir, #28-Meggie Dougherty Howard (#15-Erika Tymrak 63), #14-Marisa Viggiano, #9-Jodie Taylor (#22-Taylor Kornieck 63), #2-Sydney Leroux, #10-Marta Viera da Silva (#27-Chelsee Washington 90+4).
Subs not used: #30-Brittany Wilson, #26-Ally Horan, #3-Toni Pressley, #31-Crystal Thomas.
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 14-8 ORL
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 4-5 ORL
FOULS: CHI 9-12 ORL
OFFSIDES: CHI 1-2 ORL
CORNER KICKS: CHI 12-3 ORL
SAVES: CHI 3-3 ORL
FOULS: CHI 9-12 ORL
OFFSIDES: CHI 1-2 ORL
CORNER KICKS: CHI 12-3 ORL
SAVES: CHI 3-3 ORL
Referee: Luis Guardia
Assistant Referees: Meghan Mullen. Tiffini Turpin
Assistant Referees: Meghan Mullen. Tiffini Turpin
Fourth Official: Erin Patterson
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 88º
Attendance: 3,296
Woman of the Match: Jodie Parker (ORL)
