Chicago Red Stars 2-0 Utah Royals
BRIDGEVIEW, IL—While the United States Women’s National Team started its Women’s World Cup Victory Tour on Saturday night in Pasadena, California against Ireland. The Chicago Red Stars moved forward in the National Women’s Soccer League playing without Morgan Brian, Tierna Davidson, Julie Ertz, and Alyssa Naeher and still got a 2-0 victory over visiting Utah Royals FC at SeatGeek Stadium.
“Technically, their (US Soccer players), it’s a double-edge sword,” Chicago Red Stars head coach Rory Dames said. “Those guys earned the right to do that, because they won a World Cup and they deserve to play in the Rose Bowl. It’s interesting that they have to play in those games to get their bonuses. Ours inquired if they had to go or not had to go. We’re not going to prevent them from doing that stuff. They’ve also busted their butts to have that opportunity to go play in those games, get recognized and let the fans around the country see them.”
Utah Royals were playing without Kelly O’Hara, Christen Press, and Becky Sauerbrunn as they were also out playing with the USWNT.
Kerr and Elby were the ones that scored goals for the Red Stars (8-5-2, 26 points) and Emily Boyd had a clean sheet in Chicago’s fourth straight win on Saturday.
“We challenged this group of players, because we thought after the Houston game that was their last original set,” Dames said. “So, they had another chance and we had some disappointing results with this group. We just challenged them and obviously, it was an important game. It just proves that this group of players can prove what they’re capable of doing. We did bend but we didn’t break.”
Kerr started the scoring with an unassisted goal in the fifth minute after knocking it past Royals goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart. Casey Short set up the goal with an initial cross for Kerr. Kerr had put a header on goal to see Barnhart deflect it forward. Then, Kerr followed it up for her 12th goal this season.
“That was an unbelievable save,” Kerr said. “I was inside the six-yard box and had a good connection with that ball. For (Barnhart) to save that was unbelievable and it was up to me. I was happy for us to score and for us to win it.”
Kerr had a number of other chances to score at various times on the run with a few breakaways during the match. Each time, Barnhart had an answer coming up with save after save and stop after stop. Which Barnhart came up with six saves.
“First goal was a good goal by (Chicago),” said Utah Royals FC head coach Laura Harvey, whose team dropped to (5-6-3, 18 points). “We did come out a lot brighter in the second half and could’ve made it 1-1. It’s been the story of our last three games putting team under pressure. Then we got put on our back foot a little bit. (Barnhart) made some excellent saves in the second half. She came up big with some fantastic saves.”
Elby added the Red Stars insurance goal in the 85th minute of play with her rebound. Which was set up on a shot by Savanna McKaskill stopped once again by keeper Barnhart to the legs of Elby for a tap into the back of the net.
Boyd earned her second clean sheet this season with her effort in goal for the Red Stars.
“Our defenders were on and the inbox defending we’ve been working on a lot,” Boyd said. “They were amazing.”
Red Stars defense included Sarah Gorden, Kathleen Naighton, Casey Short and Arin Wright.
Utah will next play Sky Blue FC on Wednesday at Rio Tinto Stadium while Chicago travels to play Washington next Saturday night.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Sam Kerr (unassisted) 5
CHI-Brook Elby (unassisted) 85
BOOKING SUMMARY:
UTA-Gunnhildur Jonsdottir (caution, unsporting behavior) 74
CHICAGO RED STARS (4-3-3): #21-Emily Boyd, #33-Kate Johnson (#23-Elby 78), #14-Sarah Gorden, #5-Katie Naughton, #6-Casey Short, #2-Nikki Stanton, #24-Danielle Colaprico (#9-Savannah McCaskill 84), #12-Yuki Nagasato, #10-Vanessa DiBernardo #3-Arin Wright, #20-Sam Kerr
Subs Not Used: #18-Mackenzie Arnold, #30-Hannah Davison, #32-Zoey Goralski, #34-Maddie Pokorny, #28-Kayla Sharples
UTAH ROYALS FC (4-4-2): #18-Nicole Barnhart, #14-Gaby Vincent, #20-Mallory Weber (#22-Madeline Nolf 89), #2-Rachel Corsie, #6-Katie Bowen (#13-Makenzy Doniak 72), #9-Lo’eau LaBonta (#15-Erika Tymrak 76), #11-Desiree Scott, #66-Gunnhildur Jonsdottir, #21-Veronica Boquete Giadans, #8-Amy Rodriquez, #24-Katie Stengel
Subs Not Used: #1-Abby Smith, #19-Michell Maemone, #17-Sydney Miremontez, #42-Raisa Strom-Okimoto.
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 14-8 UTA
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 6-1 UTA
FOULS: CHI 6-5 UTA
OFFSIDES: CHI 0-0 UTA
CORNER KICKS: CHI 0-6 UTA
SAVES: CHI 1-6 UTA
Referee: Matt Franz
Assistant Referees: Brooke Mayo, Melissa Gonzalez
4th Official: Kyle Hannon
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 85º
Attendance: 4,335
MVP of the Match: Casey Short (CHI)
Chicago Red Stars
Utah Royals
