Chicago Red Stars v Los Angeles Sol Highlights

3-1

CHICAGO RED STARS 3 - 1 LOS ANGELES SOL

The Los Angeles Sol were outplayed and out scored by the Chicago Red Stars 3-1 on Sunday afternoon at Toyota Park.

In an entertaining match infront of a record high 7959 crowd, Los Angeles Sol started of the brightest.With Brittany Bock leaving her defensive duties and partnering Marta in attack, Marta had several breakaway chances to score but she could not make her shots tell.The Sol pressured the Red Stars defence earning a succession of corners. The Red Stars defended well.

Chicago opened the scoring against the run of play in the 24th minute when a Sol defender gave the ball away to Carli Lloyd in the middle of the field. Lloyd played a pass to Chicago captain Lindsey Tarpley, ran into space into the box and collected the ball back from Tarpley. Lloyd put her shot past Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc for her second goal of the season.

Los Angeles tried to get back into the game but their passing and movement of the ball was sloppy. French international Camille Abily was on the bench but Head coach Abner Rogers opted to play without her as she will not be there for the championship game.

Into the second half The Red Stars scored again quickly. In the 47th minute, Megan Rapinoe played a long cross into the box where Brittany Klein headed it to Tarpley, who floated a header over the outstretched arms of LeBlanc. The goal was the fourth of the season for the Red Stars’ captain.

The Red Stars played on the counter-attack for the rest of the second half.

Los Angeles made several offensive substitutes to get on the scoring sheet. They went to a 3-4-3 formation.

Marta out paced Frida Ostberg with a long run on the right to shoot and narrowly missed the far post on 67 minutes.

Substitute Han Duan got a goal in the 90th minute when Marta sent a ball from the right into the box. LA captain Shannon Boxx was there at the far post to head the ball back across the goal where Duan bundled the ball over by her chest.

Were Chicago about to collapse? No ... they immediately when back up the field to clinch the game when Cristiane collected a ball just inside the Sol's half and took a long run down the left side of the field and into the box. When LeBlanc stepped out to challenge, the Brazilian striker fired a shot into the right side of the net for her 7th goal of the season.

Chicago were boosted by the win and gave a winning end for their fans for the last game of the season at Toyota Park. Their final game is on Wednesday night at Saint Louis Athletica.

Even though Los Angeles had already clinched 1st place in the WPS standings they have now gone winless in their last 3 games. Their last game is against the Boston Breakers on Sunday at Harvard Stadium.


“Marta was very threatening and dangerous, but that’s Marta for you.” Said Chicago Red Stars Head coach Emma Hayes
“We showed this time when we got a goal against us that we had enough character to go straight down the other end and get the winner. I think there’s credit to the team to show their character in a game on some levels in meaningless to us at least because we’re out of the playoffs. For me, that will be the benchmark moving forward. This is a building platform for next year so I am happy with the result. ”

“Playing with the best players in the world has been a great experience. We couldn’t take this game, but you know we move on and go to Boston and do our stuff there.” Said Los Angeles forward Brittany Bock


“To me we needed to score some goals, unfortunately today we couldn’t put the ball in the net.” Said Brazilian Marta


Lineups:

Chicago Red Stars: Caroline Jonsson; Marian Dalmy (61: Nikki Krzysik), Natalie Spilger, Jill Oakes, Frida Ostberg; Carli Lloyd, Brittany Klein, Lindsay Tarpley (C), (64: Heather Garriock), Karen Carney; Cristiane, Megan Rapinoe (68: Ella Masar)

Los Angeles Sol: Karina LeBlanc; Sharlota Nonen (71: Han Duan), Stephanie Cox, Brittany Bock, Allison Falk; Shannon Boxx (C) ; Manya Makoski; Aya Miyama; Aly Wagner (75: Katie Larkin); McCall Zerboni (71: Liz Bogus); Marta.

WPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK 16

Chicago Red Stars forward Cristiane has been named Women's Professional Soccer's Player of the Week for week 16, the league announced Tuesday.

Cristiane is the second consecutive Red Stars player to earn the honor, after becoming the first player in WPS history to record a hat trick Sunday in a 3-1 win over FC Gold Pride.

Cristiane leads the Red Stars with six goals on the season - all of them coming since June 3. She has scored four goals in Chicago's last two matches.

Cristiane is the second Brazilian to be named WPS Player of the Week during the 2009 season. Her partner up front for Brazil's national team, Marta, was WPS Player of the Week in weeks 2 and 14.

Red Stars captain Lindsay Tarpley also earned WPS Player of the Week honors in week 15.

Chicago Red Stars v FC Gold Pride Highlights

3 -1

CHICAGO RED STARS 3 - 1 FC GOLD PRIDE

Cristiane recorded the first hat trick in Women’s Professional Soccer history Sunday, helping the Chicago Red Stars to a 3-1 win over FC Gold Pride in front of 5,127 at TOYOTA PARK.

The Brazilian sensation doubled her goal-scoring production for the season to six goals, including the first penalty kick goal in Red Stars franchise history. After being fouled in the box by Marisa Abegg, Cristiane was awarded a penalty kick in the 31st minute, which she buried to the right of FC Gold Pride goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart.

Cristiane struck again in first-half stoppage time, taking a feed from Megan Rapinoe and dancing around Barnhart before taking a shot that deflected off defender Erika and slowly trickled into the net, giving Chicago a 2-0 halftime advantage.

FC Gold Pride cut the lead in half in the 64th minute. Rapinoe fouled Tiffeny Milbrett in the box, earning the FC Gold Pride forward the game’s second penalty kick. Milbrett put her shot into the left corner of the net for her third goal of the season.

But momentum swung back to the Red Stars seconds later when Cristiane fired a rocket past an outstretched Milbrett and in to the upper left corner. Lindsay Tarpley picked up the assist on Cristiane’s final score of the night before the Brazilian was subbed out in the 67th minute.

The Red Stars have won consecutive matches for the first time in franchise history and moved into fifth place in the WPS standings – one point behind a two-way tie for third. Chicago now embarks on a two game road trip during which the Red Stars will face each of the teams directly above them in the standings, beginning at Boston on Wednesday.

The Pride looks to get back in the heart of the race for the WPS Championship next Sunday, July 19 when the team returns home to Buck Shaw Stadium to host the Boston Breakers. The Pride is 1-0-1 against the Breakers. Sunday will be the third and final time these teams will meet during the regular season.

Chicago Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes

“We went into this game hoping to build on some momentum in our play from the result last week. The atmosphere of the locker room and what we have been doing in training has been great. Tonight, we went out and I don’t think it was our best game. But, we showed what you do when your best players do their very best things.”

“Cristiane showed her quality as a world class finisher and I will credit the assisters as well.”

“Who’s laughing at us now? We might have started slowly in this season but we’re ready to go for playoffs.”

“Winning is their motivation and proving that they are more than just the talent on paper. That they in reality and actual fact are going to be chasing the WPS championship.

Chicago Red Stars Forward Cristiane

“I think for me, I’m very happy to score three goals because they are three important goals for my team. We needed this, so I’m going to continue to look for this in the next game.”

“About my substitution, I left the game happy about the work that I did and I understood why Emma wanted to take me out. For me it was no problem.”

Chicago Red Stars Midfielder Megan Rapinoe

“We have to win to be honest. We just got to keep winning and if that doesn’t motivate you then you probably shouldn’t be playing the sport.”

FC Gold Pride Head Coach Albertin Montoya

“I thought it was an exciting game for the fans, it could have been 6-6 or 7-7.”

“We had to make a couple of adjustments and Chicago took advantage of that and got in behind Osborne and put it away.”

On opening the second half shorthanded:
“How Chicago is so dangerous on the attack, I need Kristen (Graczyk) back on the field and unfortunately it took 25 minutes to get her stitched and back and I just couldn’t wait that long. You saw what they did in a few minutes that we were playing the first half short. My plan was to put Brandi in the attack […] but it took us so long because I wanted Kristen back on the field. Also, I was told she was coming back in 30 seconds and I waited […] and sent several people in and they came back and said its 15 minutes now. I wasn’t too happy about that.”

Lineups:

Chicago Red Stars – Jönsson; Spilger, Oakes, Dieke, Vandenbergh; Carney, Lloyd, Klein, Rapinoe (Igwe, 68); Tarpley (Adams, 81), Cristiane (Masar, 67).

FC Gold Pride – Barnhart; Robinson, Buehler, Graczyk (Weimer, 52), Abegg; Formiga, Osborne, Milbrett (Arakawa, 72), Sissi; Sinclair, Erika (Chastain, 47).

CHICAGO RED STARS 2 - 1 WASHINGTON FREEDOM

The Red Stars became the first team in WPS history to come from behind to win a game, scoring a pair of second-half goals Wednesday night to beat the Washington Freedom, 2-1, in front of 4,127 at TOYOTA PARK. In the process Chicago ended its WPS-record scoreless streak at 451 consecutive minutes, snapped a nine-match winless streak and kept itself in the heart of the league playoff race.

The Freedom jumped out to a 1-0 first half lead when Abby Wambach scored in the 34th minute on an assist from Lisa De Vanna, but despite some close shots it was the only goal Washington would score in the game. The Freedom did come close, particularly in the last few minutes of the match, but ultimately could not find the back of the net a second time.

Cristiane got the Red Stars (3-6-5) on the board in the 48th minute with a brilliant goal scored with her back to the net. Lindsay Tarpley had her initial shot deflected by Washington goalkeeper Erin McLeod, but the deflection found its way straight to the Brazilian striker, who kicked it backwards with her left foot straight in.

Tarpley would record the game-winner in the 61st minute. The Chicago forward took a feed from Megan Rapinoe, spun around a Freedom defender and buried her shot in the upper left corner for her third goal of the season, retying Cristiane for the team scoring lead.

Washington (4-5-4) nearly earned a draw in the match’s final minute. During stoppage time Abby Wambach took a shot from the right side of the goal line that deflected off Red Stars goalkeeper Caroline Jönsson to a wide open Lisa De Vanna, but the forward was unable to strike the ball and it continued harmlessly out of bounds.

The two goals highlighted a strong offensive night for the Red Stars, who outshot Washington by a 28-16 margin. Carli Lloyd had a shot cleared off the line by Washington defender Cat Whitehill in the match’s opening minute and Cristiane barely missed on more goals when two of her shots hit the crossbar.

With the win, Chicago moves into fifth place in the WPS standings with 14 points, and Washington holds in fourth. The Red Stars have played one more game than the Freedom.

he Red Stars return to the field on Sunday, July 5th for an exhibition match with the Ireland Women’s National Team. The match will take place at 3 pm at the Benedictine University Sports Complex in Lisle, Ill. The Red Stars then return to WPS action the following Sunday, July 12th, when they host FC Gold Pride at 7:00pm. The game will be a celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the U.S. victory in the 1999 Women’s World Cup and feature special appearances by World Cup team members Brandi Chastain and Brianna Scurry.

The Freedom will be back in action this Sunday, July 5 when they host the Los Angeles Sol in a 6:00pm start.


“What we did differently this week, as you know, we put the ball in the back of the net,” Red Stars Coach Emma Hayes said. “The law of averages suggests that the amount of chances we have, we have to bloody put the ball in the back of the net.

“For our fans tonight and the players, I’m delighted. The pressure is taken off of them and I don’t care what anyone says we’re a match for anyone in this league.”


“The first half we could have been up 2-0 but had a couple of bad breaks,” said Washington Freedom head coach Jim Gabarra. “Chicago also had several opportunities to score but either squandered them or Erin (McLeod) would make a great save.”

Line-Ups:

Chicago Red Stars : Jonsson; Spilger, Oakes,Dieke,Ostberg,Carney,Lloyd,Klein,Rapinoe,Tarpley(c),(92mins Maser),Cristiane(88mins Adams)

Washington Freedom: McLeod; Krieger(80mins Singer),Whitehill,Sauerbrunn, Bompastor,Gilbeau(68mins Senty),Sawa,Lindsey,Moros(88mins Eyorokon) ,Devanna,Wambach(c)

WPS PREVIEW WEEK 4

haha love this pic!


CHICAGO RED STARS v. NJ/NY SKY BLUE FC Sun 19th April 6pm ET Live on FSC, matchtracker

Televised game is from Toyota Park in Illinois. Chicago's first home game. They are the last team in the WPS to have their opening home match and they are expecting nearly 10,000 to attend.
The Red Stars are still unbeaten with great defensive displays against St Louis Athletica which they won and Washington Freedom where they were down to 10 men for the last 30 minutes of the match holding on for a 1-1 draw. With the defenders on top of their game including Scotland's Ifeoma Dieke and GK Caroline Jonsson look for another strong match from them although left-back Captain Frida Ostberg will be suspended. It's the offence that needs to be seen more. Although Lindsey Tarpley has scored 2 goals already look for the midfielders including Carli Lloyd to show more in front of their home fans. Karen Carney has said on twitter that her parents have flown over for the match, so expect her to have a blinder.Brazil star Cristiane should start from the off.
Sky Blue FC having battled back to a draw in their last match should have Captain Christie Rampone recovered from a slight hamstring strain. Look for Heather O'Reilly to once again put in a great performance and continue her quest for goals.This game will be a battle in midfield with both teams having talented players in there and the first goal will be key. Australian striker Sarah Walsh looking to have a good game also as she linked up well with O'Reilly and both said they enjoy playing together as they are on the same page on the pitch.
My prediction a score draw(both teams looking to start their seasons really).