ORLANDO, FL– The Chicago Red Stars, who had four players in the recent Tournament of Nations, managed to get a 1-1 draw against Orlando Pride despite not having Christen Press or Casey Short, and having Julie Ertz on the bench but not playing.
With results elsewhere, the Red Stars are in second place, one point behind North Carolina (1-0 winners against Seattle) and one point ahead of Portland (2-1 winners over Houston). North Carolina has a match in hand on both teams.
Alex Morgan got the goal for Orlando in the 24th minute after receiving a pass from Jasmyne Spencer and beating Alyssa Naeher far post.
The Red Stars equalized in the 53rd minute as Sofia Huerta curled a shot past Audrey Bledsoe.
A scramble in the 86th minute off a Marta corner going off the post nearly gave Orlando the advantage, but Naeher and the Red Stars maintained their lines.
The Red Stars return home next Saturday when they play the Portland Thorns in a huge battler near the top of the table. Kickoff is at 7pm.
SCORING SUMMARY:
ORL-Alex Morgan (Spencer) 24
CHI-Sofia Huerta (Hoy) 53
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Samantha Johnson (caution, reckless foul) 51
ORL-Alanna Kennedy (caution, endangering the goalkeeper) 69
ORLANDO PRIDE (4-4-2): #19-Audrey Bledsoe; #12-Kristen Edmonds, #11-Ali Krieger, #3-Toni Pressley, #6-Chioma Ubogagu; #15-Rachel Hill (#10-Marta 24), #17-Dani Weatherholt (#14-Alanna Kennedy 59), #18-Maddy Evans, #4-Jamia Fields; #23-Jasmyne Spencer (#9-Camila 75), #13-Alex Morgan
Subs Not Used: #40-Caroline Stanley, #8-Danica Evans, #20-Nickolette Driesse
CHICAGO RED STARS (4-3-1-2): #1-Alyssa Naeher; #7-Taylor Comeau (#30-Lauren Kaskie 88), #5-Katie Naughton, #16-Samantha Johnson, #3-Arin Gilliand; #4-Alyssa Mautz, #24-Danielle Colaprico, #14-Sarah Gorden (#9-Stephanie McCaffery 46); #10-Vanessa DiBernardo, #11-Sofia Huerta, #2-Jen Hoy (#19-Summer Green 90+3)
Subs Not Used: #18-Michele Dalton, #13-Morgan Proffitt, #8-Julie Ertz, #34-Mary Luba
TOTAL SHOTS: ORL 11-8 CHI
SHOTS ON GOAL: ORL 3-2 CHI
FOULS: ORL 10-5 CHI
OFFSIDES: ORL 0-1 CHI
CORNER KICKS: ORL 9-3 CHI
SAVES: ORL 1-2 CHI
Referee: Katja Koroleva
Assistant Referees: Adrienne McDonald, Matthew Osterhouse
Fourth Official: Janessa Gunn
Weather: Mostly Cloudy and 80º
Attendance: 5,667
Woman of the Match: Sophia Huerta (CHI)
Chicago Red Stars