Chicago Red Stars v Washington Freedom Highlights

2-3

CHICAGO RED STARS 2 - 3 WASHINGTON FREEDOM

The Chicago Red Stars were eliminated from the playoff contention after going down 1 minute from time by the Washington Freedom at Toyota Park.

In front of their 2nd biggest home crowd, 5226 and wearing green shirts for charity for the Environment the Red Stars had got off to a great start but were pipped at the post by an Allie Long goal.

Chicago’s Megan Rapinoe got the scoring going in the game when she took a Carli Lloyd pass and beat Freedom goalie Erin McLeod to the right corner of the net on the 15th minute.

Freedom then leveled the game through a Abby Wambach goal in the 35th minute. Wambach had several chances before that to score , getting closer each time. This time she out muscles or virtually runs over Red Stars defender Ifeoma Dieke to run in on goal.

Into the 2nd half and Wambach put the Freedom in front in the 56th minute, 2-1, to score her 5th goal of the season from a pass from Lisa De Vanna.

Red Stars heads started to drop as they couldn't get a foothold in the game and passes and movement of the ball were not what it should be.

Australian Heather Garriock was substituted in on the 68th minute for Captain Lindsey Tarpley and immediately made an impact on her teamates and on the game. On her first touch of the ball Garriock sent a ball to Karen Carney wide open on the right side of the net. Carney drilled a shot to the other side of the goal to level the match once again 2-2.

It looked like the game was going to peater as a draw when Long a 74th minute substitute dribbled her way into the box past several Red Stars defenders(like they weren't there) to coolly slot the ball past the on rushing Caroline Jonsson in the 89th minute.

Cruel end to the game and the season for the Red Stars.

With the loss, Chicago remains at 17 points with two games remaining in the regular season. Washington moves into a tie with Sky Blue FC for 23 points. Because those two teams still have a head-to-head meeting remaining, the Red Stars have been eliminated from postseason contention.

Chicago Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes

“I think everybody knows it was a must win game for both teams. I think we started out relatively ok, but after the first goal we were very flat. We looked quite tired and the heat seemed to drain us quite a bit. We struggled to retain the ball and equally struggled to try to position when we lost it. Credit to Washington, I thought they should have scored more than one goal in the first half.”

“I don’t think the back four had a good game today. I thought as a unit they struggled. But I also think that you have to work to deny service into them, in the front and the midfielders, and I don’t think we got close to them consistently enough in the first half.”

“I think for us as a team from this point on we want to make sure that we put in good performances for our fans and start the rebuilding process going into next season to make sure that we have the vital pieces that are going to push this team on.”

Washington Freedom Head Coach Jim Gabbara

“I told our team before the game today that we couldn’t ask to be in a better position because we control our own playoff destiny and do not have to rely on other teams to help us,” said Gabarra. “This might be our toughest stretch all year with three games in three cities in a week but we responded today on the road against a team that desperately needed a win.”


Lineups:

Chicago Red Stars – Caroline Jönsson; Marian Dalmy,Jill Oakes, Ifeoma Dieke, Natalie Spilger (Frida Östberg, 61); Karen Carney,Carli Lloyd, Brittany Klein, Megan Rapinoe (Ella Masar, 55); Lindsey Tarpley(C) , (Heather Garriock, 68), Cristiane.

Washington Freedom – Erin McLeod; Jill Gilbeau, Cat Whitehill, Becky Sauerbrunn, Alex Singer (Allie Long, 74); Rebecca Moros (Joanna Lohman, 81), Homare Sawa, Lori Lindsey, Sonia Bompastor; Abby Wambach(C) ,Lisa De Vanna.

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