Chicago Red Stars 2-4 Washington Spirit
BRIDGEVIEW, IL–Being at home for a second straight match would be beneficial for the Chicago Red Stars, but on a short week it didn’t work out for the team. The Red Stars fell behind by a couple of goals in the first half and couldn’t recover as they lost to visiting Washington Spirit 4-2 at SeatGeek Stadium on Wednesday night.
“Defensively, it’s a team thing.” Chicago Red Stars coach Lorne Donaldson said. “The way we like to defend we were totally out of it. But it’s football and it happens to the best of them. We’re not one of the best, but it happens. Physically, we got outmuscled (tonight), actually out muscled a lot. Everybody has to pitch in to help.”
Washington (5-2-0, 15 points) found the back of the net first in the 28th minute. Trinity Rodman found space in the box and fired a shot off the far post off an assist from Croix Bethune.
The Spirit then added another goal a couple minutes later. Rodman set it up and Ouleymata Sarr finished it into the top right corner for a 2-0 advantage.
The Red Stars (3-3-1, 10 points) tried to rally in the second half and cut the lead in half to 2-1 with an unassisted goal from Allie Schlegel off a rebound in the 79th minute. Mallory Swanson created the opportunity with a shot on goal, Spirit keeper Aubrey Kingsbury made the save off her hands forward, but it went right on the foot of Schlegel for the finishing touch.
Washington responded with two goals in a four-minute span to put the match out of reach. It was the same combination on each goal. As Brittany Radcliffe scored twice off the bench in the 83rd and 86th minute. Bethune assisted on both tallies and gave her 3 assists on the evening.
Chicago’s rookie Leilanni Nesbeth scored her first career goal in the 92nd minute up on top of the box in the 92nd minute for the two-goal difference.
“It’s still early in the season and we have to take a look of what we have,” Donaldson said. “We have players in the first time in the league and we have to see what we have down to the stretch run.”
The Red Stars will try to regroup and play at Bay FC on Sunday, May 5th on NWSL+.
SCORING SUMMARY
WASH-Rodman (Bethune) 28
WASH-Sarr (Rodman) 30
CHI-Schlegel (unassisted) 79
WASH-Radcliffe (Bethune) 83
WASH-Radcliffe (Bethune) 86
CHI-Nesbeth (unassisted) 92
BOOKING SUMMARY:
WASH-Butel (yellow, unsporting behavior) 45
CHI-Roccaro (yellow, unsporting behavior) 53
WASH-Rodman (yellow, unsporting behavior) 58
CHICAGO RED STARS: #1-Naeher, #3-Staab, #12-Kuikka, #28-Rall, #32-Malham (#11-Curran 46), #4-Roccaro, #5-Bianchi (#13-Nesbeth 78), #8-Joseph (#10-Groom 69), #24-Bike (#55-Hocking 59), #9-Swanson, #33-Cook (#34-Schlegel 46).
Subs not used: #19-Wood, #41-Anderson, #30-Biegalski, #23-Milazzo.
WASHINGTON SPIRIT:: #1-Kingsbury, #3-Kruger, #5-Butel, #14-Carle, #12-Sullivan (#26-Metayer 75), #17-Hershfelt, #7-Bethune (#16-Brown 87), #9McKeown, #2-Rodman (#13-Ratcliffe 75), #33-Hatch (#6-Wiesner 65), #11-Sarr (#22-Stainbrook 87).
Subs not used: #28-Barnhart, #39-Ricketts, #4-Silano.
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 7-10 WASH
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 5-8 WASH
FOULS: CHI 15-8 WASH
OFFSIDES: CHI 1-1 WASH
CORNER KICKS: CHI 6-5 WASH
SAVES: CHI 1-2 WASH
Referee: Alexandra Billeter
Assistant Referees: Matthew Rodman and Katarzyna Wasiak
Fourth Official: Ryan Shanklin
VAR: Katherine McCormick
AVAR: Craig Lowry
Weather: Mostly Clear and 74º.
