Photo: Leslie Smith
Chicago Red Stars 2-0 Angel City FC
BRIDGEVIEW, IL—It’s been a long, hard struggle at times, but the Chicago Red Stars are heading to the NWSL playoffs for a seventh consecutive year after defeating Angel City FC, 2-0, before a SeatGeek Stadium season-high crowd of 8,347.
The Red Stars had to win this match in order to make the playoffs. Otherwise, the final spot in the playoff would go to North Carolina. They were also playing without Zoe Morse and Bianca St. Georges due to red cards last week against Portland. That meant that Amanda Kowalski was starting at centerback and Rachel Hill returning to the wing in midfield.
The first half was about to finish goalless until Sarah Luebbert took on two defenders before laying the ball off to Mallory Pugh who scored her tenth goal of the year.
Meanwhile, former Red Star Savannah McCaskill was looking to play spoiler to the eliminated Angel City FC and had two real opportunities in the first half. She would get a greater opportunity in the 57th minute after Simone Charley was upended in the area. However, McCaskill would send her spot kick off the post and out.
The Red Stars would get that insurance goal in the 77th minute after a long ball from Luebbert and scoring from just inside the 18 to make it 2-0.
It has been quite a last couple weeks as it seemed like the Red Stars would miss the playoffs for the first time in eight years after a soul-crushing 4-0 loss in Portland and then needing North Carolina to drop points in San Diego last Friday to even have a shot at the playoffs.
Photo: Leslie Smith
“It’s definitely been a roller coaster of emotion in the last ten days or so,” said Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. “Last week was very deflating just more so because we lost the control of our own destiny. That was harder in that regard, but we kept training all week and we knew that if we got chance that we want to be ready for it and take advantage of it. Obviously, we got thrown a lifeline [with San Diego holding North Carolina].
The team was able to come out tonight and manage those emotions. We knew that if we had a chance, we felt confident going into the game that we would come together and come away with a win.”
Now, it will be two weeks before the Red Stars travel to San Diego Wave for the first round on October 15th. The Red Stars had a pair of 1-0 losses home and away against the Wave this season.
“We’ve played them twice and haven’t scored any goals, so we’re gonna have to figure out a way to score,” said Red Stars head coach Chris Petrucelli. “But I think that we will be ready to play. You saw tonight — you know when the chips are down and really matters? — it’s a group that’s ready to play, and it’s led by players [with]big-time character, people that can carry a team. They’ll be ready to play against San Diego for sure.”
Our thanks to Leslie Smith for the photos this season for the Red Stars. You can view more photos from this match by clicking on the link.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Mallory Pugh (Luebbert) 45+4
CHI-Yuki Nagasato (DiBernardo) 77
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Danielle Colaprico (caution, reckless foul) 64
LA-Megan Reid (caution, tactical foul) 68
LA-Clarisse Le Bihan (caution, reckless tackle) 75
CHICAGO RED STARS (3-4-3): #1-Alyssa Naeher; #3-Arin Wright, #31-Amanda Kowalski, #23-Tatumn Milazzo; #5-Rachel Hill, #10-Vanessa DiBernardo, #24-Danielle Colaprico, #13-Morgan Gautrat (#15-Sarah Griffith 90); #7-Yuki Nagasato, #9-Mallory Pugh (#8-Ella Stevens 87), #11-Sarah Luebbert
Subs not used: #21-Emily Boyd, #14-Jill Aguilera, #25-Ava Cook, #27-Chelsea Dawber, #18-Sam Fisher, #19-Channing Foster, #26-Mikenna McManus
ANGEL CITY FC (4-1-3-2): #39-Almuth Schult; #3Jasmyne Spencer (#20-Tyler Lussi 45+5), #6-Megan Reid, #14-Paige Nielsen, #5-Ali Riley (#26-Hope Breslin 87); #17-Dani Weatherholt; #8-Cari Roccaro, #29-Clarisse Le Bihan (#99-Madison Hammond 79), #18-Jun Endo (#16-Mark Vignola 74); #7-Simone Charley, #9-Savannah McCaskill
Subs not used: #13-DiDi Haracic, #1-Brittany Isenhour, #28-Lily Nabet, #25-Allyson Swaby, #35-Miri Taylor
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 0-0 LA
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 0-0 LA
FOULS: CHI 0-0 LA
OFFSIDES: CHI 0-0 LA
CORNER KICKS: CHI 0-0 LA
SAVES: CHI 0-0 LA
Referee: Kevin Broadley
Referee’s Assistants: Matthew Rodman, Ben Rigel
Fourth Official: Rebecca Pagan
Weather: Sunny and 65º
Attendance: 8,347
Woman of the Match: Sarah Luebbert (CHI)
