Chicago Red Stars 1-1 Portland Thorns FC
Press trying to get around Portland defender Katherine Reynolds
BRIDGEVIEW, IL–It took some time for the Chicago Red Stars to get on its game and they really didn’t get going until Christen Press rattled the crossbar with a powerful goal in the second half.
Still, the Red Stars could only settle for a point instead of three against a team that is also battling on top of the NWSL.
Chicago ended in a 1-1 draw against visiting Portland in front of 3,131 in attendance at Toyota Park on Sunday night.
“I thought the group at least competed in the second half and ground out a point,” Chicago Red Stars coach Rory Dames said. “The last time we gave up a goal here didn’t do well for us. It shows the growth of the group. I thought the first half, for some of our players, the game was too big for us for whatever reason. (Portland) obviously, has quality all over the field. I thought in the second half, Alyssa Mautz coming in helped and gave us some energy into the game. We just found our way into it.”
For the Red Stars, they picked up its second straight draw and now sits at 4-1-3, 15 points tied for first with Western New York Flash (5-3, 15 points) and a point ahead of Portland (3-0-5, 14 points) and Washington (4-1-2, 14 points).
“There’s a lot for us to take out of it,” Dames said. “When you judge the quality of individual players, Portland is at the top of them. There’s definitely a margin between us and (Portland). But it’s a margin that can be closed over the next two months. What matters is at the end to have a better performance than this one.”
Thorns Sinclair goes up against Red Star Colaprico
In that second half, Chicago was down 1-0 until a few short passes up top led the way to what was the tying goal in the 61st minute. Press who took a pass from Mautz (who came in for Jen Hoy starting the half), she powered a shot from up top of the penalty area off the hands of the Thorns’ keeper Adrianna French, which went off the crossbar came down in front of the goal line and spun forward into the goal.
“I side-volleyed it and it had a lot of spin,” Press said. “It was central (keeper blocked it), it hit the post, it had some spin on it and spun in. You don’t get lucky often, but when you do, you take it and appreciate it. Then you take the point and run away with it.”
Portland found their fortunate luck go their way with some high pressure that led to the opening goal in the 24th minute. The Thorns took advantage of the Red Stars mistake in the back. Sam Johnson sent a soft pass back to keeper Alyssa Naeher. She tried to clear it away quickly, but Christine Sinclair took the ball off her body.
“It definitely wasn’t one of the prettiest goal that I scored,” Sinclair said. “Coach (Mark Parsons) stressed before the game to press them. The ball went back towards Alyssa (Naeher), I just gave her a chance and tried to close her down as quickly as I could. Luckily, it went off me and in. Sometimes, you need a little luck like that once in a while.”
Both teams were coming off time off for the international players that were playing Japan over the last couple of weeks. It appeared that each of the teams showed that the chemistry wasn’t all there throughout the match.
“We were lacking some of the energy that we normally have,” Parsons said. “Maybe it was travel or coming back from international duty. We were lacking intensity at key times.
“Chicago is a very organized team. They’re the most organized team coming into this game that we were going to play. I think they were off a bit, like we were and it was a very flat game. I thought the home team had a little more in the tank. Like us, Chicago would like to bounce back from that performance.”
The Red Stars return back to action hosting the Boston Breakers next Saturday evening 7 p.m. at Toyota Park.
Chicago also honored the recently retired Michelle Lomnicki at halftime on Sunday. The Colorado native spent five seasons with the Red Stars on defense. She played in 48 matches and logged 3,496 minutes of time on the field. Red Stars General Manager Alyse LaHue let the cat out of the bag that Michelle is expecting a baby boy.
“I’m honored and blessed to be here,” Lomnicki said. “To end my pro career and play here in Chicago. To all my teammates that I’ve counted on and I wouldn’t know what to do without them.”
SCORING SUMMARY:
POR-Christine Sinclair (unassisted) 24′
CHI-Christen Press (Alyssa Mautz) 61′
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Sophia Huerta (yellow card, delay of game) 74′
CHI-Alyssa Mautz (yellow card, reckless foul) 75′
CHI- Arin Gilliland (yellow card, dissent) 83′
POR-Nadia Nadim (yellow card, reckless foul) 88′
CHICAGO RED STARS (4-3-3): #1-Alyssa Naeher, #2-Jen Hoy (#4-Alyssa Mautz 46′), #3-Arin Gilliland, #6-Casey Short, #8-Julie Johnston, #10-Vanessa DiBernardo, #11-Sofia Huerta (#12-Cara Walls 84′), #13-Amanda DaCosta (#7-Taylor Comeau 68′), #16-Sam Johnson, #23-Christen Press, #24-Danielle Colaprico.
Subs not used: #5-Katie Naughton, #15-Courtney Raetzman, #18-Michelle Dalton, #34-Mary Luba.
PORTLAND THORNS (4-2-3-1): #2-Kathine Reynolds, #4-Emily Menges, #7-Lindsey Horan, #9-Nadia Nadim (#21-Hayley Raso 89′), #10-Allie Long, #11-Dagny Brynjarsdottir (#44-Meg Morris 59′), #12-Christine Sinclair, #16-Emiluy Sonnett, #17-Toby Heath, #24-Adrianna French, #25-Meghan Klingenberg.
Subs not used: #18-Michelle Betos, #20-McKenzie Berryhill, #26-Mallory Weber, #30-Celeste Boureille.
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 5-6 POR
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 1-4 POR
FOULS: CHI 11-12 POR
OFFSIDES: CHI 3-3 POR
CORNER KICKS: CHI 5-3 POR
SAVES: CHI 3-0 POR
Referee: Levi Rippy
Referee’s Assistants: Joshua Haimes, Christopher Elliott
Fourth Official: Margaret Domka
Attendance: 3,131
Weather: Partly Sunny and 70
Woman of the Match: Christian Press (CHI)
Chicago Red Stars
