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.

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)

LOS ANGELES SOL 4 - 0 CHICAGO RED STARS

Marta scored 2 goals to take her total for the season to a league joint leading 8 against the hapless Chicago Red Stars in a 4- nil win at the Home Depot Center early Saturday morning.

The Los Angeles Sol who looked fresh despite playing their 3rd game in 7 days opened the scoring on 15 minutes when Captain Shannon Boxx received a through ball from winger McCall Zerboni making her 1st start in place of Aly Wagner, at the top of the penalty box. Beating the offside trap Boxx shot the ball to the farside to the right of GK Caroline Jonsson. In off the post. This sparked a Michael Jackson celebration dance in the centre-circle by the whole team. Chicago in shock. It got worse. Japanese international Aya Miyama found an inform Camille Abily with a pass at the top of the box, with composure she shot past Jonsson 2 - nil and Abily's 8th goal of the season.

The Red Stars reeling tried to get into the game. Coach Emma Hayes brung on substitute Cristiane on 31mins to replace defender Nikki Krizysik. The Red Stars switched to a 3-4-3 formation. It looked like it paid off when Lindsey Tarpley slamed the ball into the back of the net from a great pass by Cristiane in the 33rd minute. However the goal was ruled out for a close offside.

The Sol closed out the 1st half on a high as they had numerous chances to extend their league.

Into the 2nd half and Chicago started brightly but again on the 47th minute a Tarpley goal was ruled offside. This time it was a more clear offside. The Red Stars were trying to make a game of it by attacking but everytime they tried to get momentum the Sol midfield and defence would not let them get into any sort of rythem.

The game was over when Marta received a through ball by Miyama , past the defence and a deft shot by Marta past Jonsson on inthe 62nd minute to make it 3-nil. Chicago were out. Marta then scored her 2nd in stoppage time 90th minute to make it 4-o after a ball into the box by substitute Aly Wagner from the right.

Chicago players looked stunned. In all honesty it could have been 5 or 6 if not for a couple of good saves by Jonsson. Back to the drawing board.

Los Angeles took another step to qualifying for the playoffs and took their unbeaten run to 10 games. Chicago with the loss remains last in the WPS standings with the next game against Washington Freedom on Wednesday night vital.

Abner Rogers
"It was a big challenge today as it was our third game in seven days, but I thought we played very well. Obviously, the result speaks for itself. The number of opportunities that we created was very satisfying."

McCall Zerboni
"The team was very supportive of me starting today. The team has really good chemistry and they make it very easy for me to contribute on the field. I wouldn't be doing what I am without them."

"[The offsides] always hurt you," Red Stars team captain Lindsay Tarpley said. "But, you know, hopefully it's a matter of time -- just keep plugging away and keep our heads up. And hopefully we'll finish one next time and it'll count."

Lineups
Los Angeles Sol: Karina LeBlanc; Stephanie Cox, Allison Falk(57: Brittany Bock), Marina Franko, Katie Larkin, McCall Zerboni (72: Aly Wagner), Shannon Boxx (C), Camille Abily (80: Maya Makoski), Aya Miyama, Han Duan, Marta

Chicago Red Stars: Caroline Jonsson; Natalie Spilger, Frida Ostberg, Nikki Krzysik (31: Cristiane Silva), Jill Oakes, Brittany Klein (58: Vandenbugh), Megan Rapinoe, Chioma Igwe (77: Danesha Adams), Karen Carney, Lindsay Tarpley (C), Carli Lloyd

CHICAGO RED STARS 0 - 0 SKY BLUE FC

Chicago in the sky blue shirts,Sky Blue in orange!!



On a rain soaked night at Toyota Park in front of over 5,800 enthusiastic fans despite the weather, both teams battled to a nil draw.Lindsey Tarpley had a strong chance for her third goal in as many games in stoppage time following the second half. Karen Carney played a shot from the right side of the box to Tarpley, who made a strong chance but put it right at Sky Blue FC goalkeeper Jenni Branam.
The shot was one of 18 Chicago recorded, but the Red Stars only put four on goal. One came on a spectacular bicycle kick attempt from midfielder Megan Rapinoe in the 38^th minute. After Sky Blue FC starting goalkeeper Karen Bardsley made an initial stop on a shot by midfielder Carli Lloyd, the ball ricocheted to Rapinoe at the top of the box. She played it beautifully on the bicycle attempt but Bardsley was able to recover in time to parry it over the net.
Sky Blue FC had one of the game’s best scoring chances early on. Midfielder Collette McCallum made a run up the right side, crossing to Sarah Walsh on the left edge of the box. As Red Stars keeper Caroline Jönsson came out to challenge the play, Walsh got a shot off that hit just off the cross bar and out of play.Jönsson put forth another solid effort in net, stopping all three of Sky Blue FC’s shots on goal to record her second clean sheet of the season. Bardsley and Branam combined for six saves for the visitors, who were outshot 18-7 in the contest. Ifeoma Dieke again was composed and a rock in the Chicago defence without Captain Frida Ostberg. Dieke earned rave reviews from the FSC commentators.

SKY BLUE FC COACH IAN SAWYERS

“The game was a pretty exciting for a 0-0 tie, at least from our perspective, with some end to end opportunities. Obviously we felt like we could have put a few away and I’m sure they feel the same way. Coming away with an away point is ok, we haven’t quite got there yet. We’re moderately happy but still proud to be part of a great day here in Chicago.”

RED STARS COACH EMMA HAYES“Our game plan was to use as much width as we can. We’ve been struggling of late to create opportunities out wide. I thought we did a great job of that. The girls executed the game plan and the performance was considerably better than the last two games.”




LINEUPS:

CHI: Jönsson, Dalmy, Dieke, Igwe, Krzysik, Klein (Oakes, 76), Rapinoe, Lloyd, Carney, Cristiane (Masar, 63’), Tarpley

SKY BLUE FC: Bardsley (Branam, 46), Asante, Schnur, Dowling, Sitch, Buczkowski, Parker (Kai, 62), McCallum (Averbuch, 83), White, Walsh, O’Reilly