Chicago Red Stars 4-1 Sky Blue FC
BRIDGEVIEW, IL—It was eleven months to day that the Chicago Red Stars last played at SeatGeek Stadium. On Sunday, the Red Stars returned to Bridgeview and earned an emphatic 4-1 win over Sky Blue FC. The win puts the Red Stars in second place in the NWSL Fall Series.
It did not start off as bright as the day as in the sixth minute, Alyssa Naeher spilled Paige Monaghan’s shot and Ifeoma Onumonu was there to pounce on the rebound. That lead lasted all of four minutes, though, as Vanessa DiBernardo sent Kealia Watt on her way for her first goal as a Red Star beating Didi Haracic near post.
In the 28th minute, Bianca St. Georges sent a long ball that bounced favorably for Zoey Goralski who got by Haracic, who came up to challenge Goralski, and put it in to the empty net.
DiBernardo got one of her own before halftime after collecting a cross from Watt and scoring from 15 yards out to make it 3-1. Watt got her second in the 57th minute to complete the scoring after being sent in behind the Sky Blue defense, this time by Sarah Luebbert.
“Really excited for Kealia,” Red Stars Head Coach Dames said in his post-match news conference. “She has a lot more tools than I thought she did, and we’re trying to figure out the best place to use her. In Utah [at the Challenge Cup], we tried her in the wide spaces. I think she got pulled too far away from the goal. We had a talk a few weeks ago about going to the 9, and it’s been a work in progress, but I thought she was really good last week, too.”
Dames said that the only disappointment is that the fans were not able to be in person in Bridgeview.
“Last year with the fans was simply incredible,” Dames said of the empty stadium. “I think that’s one of the biggest disappointments with our players, our coaches, our staff as a whole, I think we really do feel a genuine connection to the fans of the Red Stars… I wish they could have been here to see the four goals.”
The Red Stars next play on Saturday at SeatGeek Stadium against the Washington Spirit for a noon CT kickoff on CBS.
SCORING SUMMARY:
NJ-Ifeoma Onumonu (unassisted) 6
CHI-Kealia Watt (DiBernardo) 10
CHI-Zoey Goralski (St. Georges) 28
CHI-Vanessa DiBernardo (Watt) 44
CHI-Kealia Watt (Luebbert) 57
BOOKING SUMMARY:
NJ-Paige Monaghan (caution, tactical foul) 47
NJ-Jennifer Cudjoe (caution, tactical foul) 67
CHI-Hannah Davison (caution, reckless foul) 90+1
CHICAGO RED STARS (4-3-3): #1-Alyssa Naeher; #29-Bianca St. Georges, #11-Sarah Gorden, #14-Zoe Morse, #16-Camryn Biegalski; #24-Danielle Colaprico, #13-Morgan Gautrat (#34-Aerail Chavarin 66), #10-Vanessa DiBernardo; #32-Zoey Goralski (#27-Dani Rhodes 77), #2-Kealia Watt, #19-Sarah Luebbert (#30-Hannah Davison 88)
Subs not used: #31-Kelsey Daugherty, #26-Tierna Davidson, #33-Katie Johnson, #27-Dani Rhodes, #3-Arin Wright
SKY BLUE FC (4-2-3-1): #13-Didi Haracic (#1-Kailen Sheridan 46); #15-Sabrina Flores (#8-Erica Skroski 72), #12-Gina Lewandowski, #22-Mandy Freeman (#24-Estelle Johnson 62), #28-Imani Dorsey; #16-Sarah Woldmoe, #17-Dominique Richardson; #4-Paige Monaghan, #6-Jennifer Cudjoe (#5-Nicole Baxter 77), #23-Midge Purce; #25-Ifeoma Onumonu
Subs not used: #35-Megan Hinz, #21-Amanda McGlynn
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 10-18 NJ
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 7-7 NJ
FOULS: CHI 5-9 NJ
OFFSIDES: CHI 3-2 NJ
CORNER KICKS: CHI 2-9 NJ
SAVES: CHI 6-3 NJ
Referee: Rebecca Pagan
Assistant Referees: Rachel Smith, Ethan Buege
Fourth Official: Zachary Bond
Weather: Clear and 68º
Woman of the Match: Kealia Watt (CHI)
