CHICAGO – The Red Stars fall in their third-straight game after a 1-3 loss to FC Kansas City. Midfielder Julie Ertz gained her third goal of the season as Yuki Nagasato earned her first assist in the first career start for the Red Stars international.
The home side saw most of the possession at the start of the game, earning multiple chances early on. Just four minutes in, Christen Press was able to get a shot off, but was ultimately deflected by a defender and bounced to the arms of Kansas City goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart.
Chicago nearly took the lead in the 17th minute as defender Arin Gilliland chipped a ball into the box where Press was able to get her head on it at the far post, heading the ball just over the crossbar. Despite Chicago controlling 56% of possession, it was Kansas City who scored the only goals in the first half.
In the 23rd minute, forward Shea Groom controlled the ball at the top of the 18-yard box. With a threaded ball between defenders, Sydney Leroux picked up the ball and put it past a diving Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher to take the lead.
Just six minutes later, FCKC upped their lead, as Chicago defender Sam Johnson was dispossessed just outside the box. Groom was there to pick up the loose ball and crossed it to the center of the box, where midfielder Katie Bowen struck it into the back of the net.
In the final minute of the first half, with a fight inside the box, Groom picked up a foul, giving Chicago a penalty kick. Press stepped up for the strike, but Barnhart guessed correctly and saved the Red Stars final shot to send the match into halftime with the home side down, 0-2.
In the second half, Chicago narrowed the scoreline by one in the 64th minute with an Ertz goal. Ertz was able to loosen a ball away from a defender up the field and it was picked up by Nagasato. The Japan international quickly found Ertz and split the pass between two Kansas City defenders and slotted the ball past Barnhart to put the Red Stars on the board.
Just after coming in as a substitute, Kansas City’s Meagan Kelly furthered the visitor’s score after jumping on a ball just over the heads of the Chicago backline. Kelly saw Naeher off her line and chipped the ball into the back of the net for the final goal of the match, marking Chicago’s third straight loss at home.
The Red Stars are back on the road next week when they take on the Washington Spirit on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m. CT.
– CHICAGO RED STARS MATCH REPORT –
MATCH: Chicago Red Stars vs. FC Kansas City
DATE: August 20, 2017
VENUE: Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Illinois
KICKOFF: 5 p.m. CT
ATTENDANCE: 3,314
WEATHER: 86 degrees, cloudy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
CHI 0 1 1
FCKC 2 1 3
FCKC – Sydney Leroux (Shea Groom) 23’
FCKC – Katie Bowen (Shea Groom) 29’
CHI – Julie Ertz (Yuki Nagasato) 64’
FCKC – Meagan Kelly 80’
Chicago Red Stars Lineup: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 6-Casey Short, 16-Samantha Johnson (30-Lauren Kaskie, 83), 5-Katie Naughton (4-Alyssa Mautz, 70), 3-Arin Gilliland; 8-Julie Ertz, 24-Danielle Colaprico, 11-Sofia Huerta, 7-Taylor Comeau (19-Summer Green, 80); 12-Yuki Nagasato, 23-Christen Press (capt.)
Substitutes: 2-Jen Hoy, 9-Stephanie McCaffrey, 10-Vanessa DiBernardo, 18-Michele Dalton
Head Coach: Rory Dames
FC Kansas City Lineup: 18-Nicole Barnhart; 13-Brittany Taylor, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn (capt.), 17-Sydney Miramontez, 3-Becca Moros; 11-Desiree Scott, 31-Christina Gibbons, 6-Katie Bowen (44-Meagan Kelly, 71); 25-Brittany Ratcliffe (9-Lo’eau LaBonta, 67), 2-Shea Groom, 14-Sydney Leroux (21-Caroline Flynn, 89)
Substitutes: 15-Erika Tymrak, 19-Cat Parkhill, 88-Alexa Newfield
Head Coach: Vlatko Andonovski
Stats Summary: CHI / FCKC
Shots: 24/9
Shots on Goal: 7/7
Saves: 4/6
Corner Kicks: 7/1
Fouls: 5/4
Offside: 1/1
Misconduct Summary
CHI – Casey Short (caution) 26’
FCKC – Shea Groom (caution) 45’
CHI – Alyssa Naeher (caution) 90+3’
Officials:
Referee: Karen Abt
Asst. Referees: Deleana Quan, Benjamin Wooten
4th Official: Rebecca Pagan
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