Stars home losing streak continues

Chicago Stars 1-3 Kansas City Current

BRIDGEVIEW, IL—The Stars’ home losing streak was extended to eight games following a 3-1 loss to league leading Kansas City Current. The Stars are also winless in their last six and remain rooted to the bottom of the NWSL.

The Current showed their dominance from the start and were eventually rewarded in the 34th minute as Haile Mace made a run into the box and found Bia Zaneratto who scored from close range to put the Current ahead. Zaneratto turned provider seven minutes later to Tamwa Chawinga to make it 2-0. 

The lone bright spot for the Stars came in the 51st minute. Sam Staab’s free kick was headed home by Shea Groom who scored her first goal in nearly three years to make it 2-1. 

“You just don’t really feel like yourself again until maybe you get that notch that first one,” said Groom. “And today was a a hard game, I think for all of us, but for me specifically playing in a different position.

And then, that just felt like a very vintage Shea Groom goal for me. So yeah, I was just happy to finally get one and kind of put some of those doubts to to to bed. You’re eleven years in and sometimes you think maybe maybe the time has passed. So it was nice little boost despite the score line. I think, again, we put out a great fight and really limited a team that has had a lot more shots than other teams.” 

Unfortunately, former Star Kayla Sharples would add a third off a free kick from Izzy Rodriguez to complete the scoring. Adding injury to insult was Bea Franklin leaving the match after a collision with Lorena in the 77th minute and Alyssa Naeher leaving in the 90th after taking a knock. Their status is unknown at the time of this posting. 

The Stars will try again in two weeks’ time when they travel to BMO Stadium to take on Angel City. Kickoff is at 9pm CT on Ion. 

SCORING SUMMARY: 
KC-Bia Zaneratto (Mace) 34
KC-Tamwa Chawinga (Zaneratto) 41
CHI-Shea Groom (Staab) 51
KC-Kayla Sharples (I. Rodriguez) 60

BOOKING SUMMARY:
KC-Vanessa DiBernardo (caution, persistent infringement) 12
KC-Rocky Rodriguez (caution, tactical foul) 37
CHI-bench (caution, dissent) 43

CHICAGO RED STARS (4-2-3-1):  #1-Alyssa Naeher (#22-Halle Mackiewicz 90); #32-Taylor Malham, #4-Cari Roccaro, #3-Sam Staab, #41-Hannah Anderson; #20-Bea Franklin (#23-Micayla Johnson 80), #77-Maitane; #10-Shea Groom (#24-Jenna Bike 61), #8-Jameese Joseph (#11-Chardonnay Curran 90), #21-Julia Grosso; #14-Ludmilla (#34-Ally Schlegel 61)

Subs not used:  #7-Ava Cook, #13-Leilanni Nesbeth, #16-Manaka Hayashi, #26-Nadia Gomes

KANSAS CITY CURRENT (4-2-3-1):  #23-Lorena. #19-Izzy Rodriguez, #16-Vanessa DiBernardo (#33-Mwanalima Jereko 90+3), #27-Kayla Sharples, #4-Halie Mace; #7-Elizabeth Ball, #10-Lo’eau LaBonta, #11-Rocky Rodriguez (#14-Claire Hutton 63); #6-Tamwa Chawinga (#30-Flora Marta Lacho 90+3), #9-Bia Zaneratto (#13-Haley Hopkins 76), #8-Nichelle Prince (#17-Michele Cooper 63)

Subs not used:  #81-Laurel Ivory, #99-Clare Gagne, #2-Regan Steigleder, #5-Ellie Wheeler, #13-Haley Hopkins

TOTAL SHOTS:  CHI 2-13 KC
SHOTS ON GOAL:  CHI 1-7 KC
FOULS:  CHI 6-18 KC
OFFSIDES:  CHI 0-2 KC
CORNER KICKS:  CHI 3-4 KC
SAVES:  CHI 4-0 KC

Referee:  Matt Thompson
Assistant Referees:  Eric Del Rosario Gandara, Christian Little
4th Official: Calin Radosav
VAR:  Servando Berna
AVAR:  Matthew Rodman
Weather:  Clear and 62º
Attendance:  3,886
Woman of the Match:  Bia Zaneratto (KC)

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