BRIDGEVIEW, IL—For the first time since 2013 in the regular season, the Chicago Red Stars defeated the Portland Thorns. It could not have come at a better time as the 2-1 win over the league-leading Thorns boost the Red Stars’ playoff chances. The win vaults the Red Stars to fourth in the table for the moment, but vitally six points clear of 7th-place Washington.
The Thorns do remain top of the NWSL by six points going into Sunday, but it denied them a chance to clinch a playoff berth at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday.
The Thorns did take the lead in the 24th minute as Crystal Dunn laid off a ball to Christine Sinclair whose shot went off the post and in. The lead lasted all of a minute as Bella Bixby misplayed a cross and Arin Wright would set up Kealia Watt for her third goal of the year. Bixby would make six saves on the night, but it would not be enough.
Mallory Pugh’s cross in the 65th minute was headed in by Rachel Hill to give the Red Stars the lead and the eventual match-winner.
This was a match marked on the calendar by the Red Stars after they opened this season losing 5-0 in Portland and one that saw the Red Stars much more sharp and focused on both ends of the ball.
“All of as a whole were really tuned in today,” said Hill. “We didn’t lose focus at any points. We had a little bit of trouble on our throw-ins and as the game went on we started to figure it out and worked together. It came out with the ball more. It was just overall a really good team defensive performance and we stuck together through it all and didn’t lose focus.”
“When you play a team like Portland, it’s ninety minutes of focusing on not making a mistake, because if you make a mistake they will make you pay,” added Watt. “We made a couple and one they scored and a couple our backline came up huge for us. I think as we continue through the season and the postseason, we really have to minimize those mistakes and it’s mental. I think we’re getting better every game.”
The Red Stars remain home to take on fellow playoff contenders, Orlando Pride, next Saturday at 6:30pm. The match will be streamed live on Twitch.
SCORING SUMMARY:
POR-Christine Sinclair (Dunn) 24
CHI-Kealia Watt (Wright) 25
CHI-Rachel Hill (Pugh) 65
BOOKING SUMMARY:
POR-Becky Sauerbrunn (caution, tactical foul) 90+2
CHICAGO RED STARS (4-2-3-1): #38-Cassie Miller; #6-Casey Krueger, #11-Sarah Gorden, #26-Tierna Davidson, #3-Arin Wright; #13-Morgan Gautrat, #16-Sarah Woldmoe; #5-Rachel Hill (#4-Alyssa Mautz 80), #10-Vanessa DiBernardo (#24-Danielle Colaprico 87), #9-Mallory Pugh (#33-Katie Johnson 87); #2-Kealia Watt
Subs not used: #21-Emily Boyd, #15-Makenzy Doniak, #23-Tatumn Milazzo, #28-Kayla Sharples, #22-Bianca St. Georges, #7-Nikki Stanton
PORTLAND THORNS (4-3-3): #31-Bella Bixby; #18-Christen Westphal (#14-Natalia Kuikka 46), #5-Emily Menges, #4-Becky Sauerbrunn, #25-Meghan Klingenberg; #30-Celeste Boureille (#9-Sophia Smith 46), #36-Angela Salem, #42-Olivia Moultrie (#11-Rocky Rodriguez 46); #22-Morgan Weaver (#34-Tyler Lussi 78), #19-Crystal Dunn, #12-Christine Sinclair
Subs not used: #35-Abby Smith, #40-Marissa Everett, #20-Kelli Hubly, #15-Madison Pogarch, #23-Yazmeen Ryan
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 15-11 POR
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 8-3 POR
FOULS: CHI 7-5 POR
OFFSIDES: CHI 0-2 POR
CORNER KICKS: CHI 6-10 POR
SAVES: CHI 1-6 POR
Referee: Katja Koroleva
Assistant Referees: Jennifer Garner, Rachel Smith
Fourth Official: Laura Rodiguez
Weather: Mostly Sunny and 70º
Attendance: 3,527
Woman of the Match: Kealia Watt (CHI)
