Stars drop lead late and draw Reign

Chicago Stars 2-2 Seattle Reign

CHICAGO, IL—Just as it appeared that the Chicago Stars would get their first home win in 266 days and first win ever within City Limits, two late goals by Seattle resulted in a 2-2 draw at Soldier Field. The match was the first half of a doubleheader with the Chicago Fire who were playing Nashville SC in the second half.

The Stars started off more brightly of the two and this was arguably their brightest start of the season. The Stars scored twice in two minutes, fourteen seconds. Both goals were similar in nature in that a counter sprung Ludmila. Ludmila would leave Phoebe McClernon in the dust and then beat Claudia Dickey. The only difference was in the assist—Maitane in the 11th minute and Sam Staab in the 13th.

However, Ludmila would end up leaving the match in the 60th minute after taking a free kick to the face while jumping up in the two-woman wall. The Stars’ attack was virtually non-existent after that and the Reign would eventually take advantage.

They would score twice in two minutes, nine seconds towards the end of the 90. Lyn Biyendolo would take advantage of a missed clearance by Cari Roccaro to pull one back in the 87th minute. Then, Jordyn Bugg would score from an acute angle at the side of the box that found its way past Halle Mackiewicz and in the net. The wait for a home win will now extend at least another 48 days as the next home game is not until August 1st.

“I feel like we were trying to just keep the the score 2-0,” said Maitane. “And once we concede the one, I think, like, those [five to ten]minutes after were a little bit shaky. So we need to kinda learn how to be more composed and be able to just close the game.”

While the last two games have shown marked improvement by the Stars, it has been in the end six points being reduced to two late. Interim head coach Masaki Hemmi feels the team needs to more savvy in game situations to see out wins.

“I thought that when maybe a month ago, we were struggling, sustaining possession, purposeful possession to progress the ball forward,” said Hemmi. “And that’s something that we worked on and I think we improved in those. We worked on being really compact shape and defending and hard to beat. We worked on and I think that’s showing different shapes to defend against different opponents. Now, this ongoing problem last minutes in the game when opponents throw a lot of numbers at us.”

“In those moments, we need to be more game savvy in these situations. Maybe it’s a clearance. Maybe it’s an aggression to get a block around the box. Decisions on the board go forward in those moments so that momentum doesn’t shift later in the game. I think those things need to be addressed.”

The Stars have one more match before the league break. That will be in Portland on Saturday at 9pm CT on Ion.

Photos by Leslie Smith.

SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Ludmila (Maitane) 11
CHI-Ludmila (Staab) 13
SEA-Lyn Biyendolo (unassisted) 87
SEA-Jordyn Bugg (Dahlien) 89

BOOKING SUMMARY:
SEA-Madison Curry (caution, tactical foul) 68

CHICAGO RED STARS (4-2-3-1): #22-Halle Mackiewicz; #32-Taylor Malham, #12-Natalia Kuikka (#30-Camryn Biegalski 57), #4-Cari Roccaro, #3-Sam Staab; #10-Shea Groom (#41-Hannah Anderson 85), #77-Maitane; #21-Julia Grosso (#34-Ally Schlegel 57), #16-Manaka Hayashi (#20-Bea Franklin 57), #24-Jenna Bike (#26-Nadia Gomes 72); #14-Ludmila (#7-Ava Cook 61 (c))

Subs not used: #27-Stephanie Sparkowski, #11-Chardonnay Curran, #23-Micayla Johnson

SEATTLE REIGN (3-4-3): #1-Claudia Dickey; #3-Lauren Barnes (#25-Shae Holmes 21), #21-Phoebe McClernon (#2-Maddie Mercado 80), #23-Jordyn Bugg; #30-Nerilla Mondesir (#91-So-Yun Ji 46), #16-Ainsley McCammon (#20-Samantha Meza 46), #18-Sally Menti, #24-Madison Curry; #6-Lyn Biyendolo, #47-Emeri Adames (#9-Jordyn Huitema 67), #5-Maddie Dahlien (#14-Emily Mason 90+4)

Subs not used: #99-Maddie Prohaska, #2-Maddie Mercado, #8-Angharad James-Turner, #13-Julia Lester

TOTAL SHOTS:  CHI 8-17 SEA
SHOTS ON GOAL:  CHI 5-6 SEA
FOULS:  CHI 12-10 SEA
OFFSIDES:  CHI 2-1 SEA
CORNER KICKS:  CHI 3-3 SEA
SAVES:  CHI 4-3 SEA

Referee: Shawn Tehini
Assistant Referees: Rachel Smith, Art Arustamyan
4th Official: Ryan Homik
VAR: Anya Voigt
AVAR: Karen Coulson
Weather: Sunny and 69º
Attendance: 26,492
Woman of the Match: Ludmilla (CHI)