Stars blow past Current

Chicago Stars FC 2-1 Kansas City Current

EVANSTON, IL–On a cold, windy, and at times wet afternoon at Martin Stadium at Northwestern University; Chicago Stars FC got by Kansas City Current, 1-0, in the former’s home opener. It was a much improved Stars side from the one that got trounced, 4-0, at Angel City FC last Saturday.

Kansas City had most of the early chances. Croiz Bethune came just wide in the second minute and Izzy Rodriguez was denied by Alyssa Naeher in the 13th minute.

The Stars finally got some offense going later in the half and it would pay off in the 42nd minute. Manaka Hayashi sent a corner kick into the box and it went off the head of Gabrielle Robinson and to the path of Tessa Dellarose who scored on the volley for her first career NWSL goal in her first career start as if she drew that up.

“I wish I could say that, but no,” said Dellarose. “You know, we have our set plays and as players, as part of this team, you just want to be able to do your job and be held accountable for that. So I was my job was kind of just to stand in front of the goalkeeper, make things a little bit chaotic and be ready for the second ball if it came in, if the money came in, and luckily for me, it did come in and I was in the right position and at that point it was just just putting it in the back of the net.”

Eight minutes into the second half, the lead was doubled on a wonderful countertattack that was started by Julia Grosso who fed the ball to Ryan Gareis on the wing. Gareis then sent the cross into the box which would be headed in by Jordyn Huitema for her first goal as a member of the Stars.

Kansas City would pull one back in the 57th minute as Izzy Rodriguez found an unmarked Haley Hopkins who got the ball past Naeher. Unlike last week, the defense would hold firm against the Current most notably from substitute Aaliyah Farmer. In the end, it was three valuable points for the Stars in the first of what will be three matches in six days.

Stars head coach Martin Sjögren praised his team’s character bouncing back from the loss last week.

“So we’ve been talking about that, what it takes to actually be in this team, if you want to be in this team, it takes a lot of hard work, it takes a lot of running, it takes a lot of running for your teammates, running for the team, and today also with also playing a very, very physical and direct team,” said Sjögren.

“We also knew that it’s going to be a lot about dueling, and also with the wind and the weather condition also kind of added on to that. So I think today I’m really proud of how the team looked and I’m really proud of the effort everyone put in because I think that’s also was the decisive part that we actually could win this game today.”

Sjögren also confirmed there will be some squad rotation coming up this week as there is a match Wednesday in Evanston against Orlando Pride coming up. Kickoff is at 7pm on Victory+.

Photos by Len Cederholm and Leslie Smith

SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Tessa Dellarose (unassisted) 42
CHI-Jordyn Huitema (Gareis) 50
KC-Haley Hopkins (Rodriguez) 57

BOOKING SUMMARY:
KC-Ellie Bravo-Young (caution, tactical foul) 26

CHICAGO RED STARS (4-2-3-1): #1-Alyssa Naeher; #34-Tessa Dellarose, #3-Sam Staab, #20-Bea Franklin, #5-Michelle Alozie (#25-Aaliyah Farmer 60); #77-Maitane, #16-Manaka Hayashi (#13-Leilanni Nesbeth 87); #10-Brianna Pinto, #7-Julia Grosso, #24-Ryan Gareis; #99-Jordyn Huitema (#8-Jameese Joseph 60)

Subs not used: #27-Katie Atkinson, #4-Jenna Bike, #18-Ivonne Chacon, #29-Emma Egizii, #11-Nadia Gomes, #23-Micayla Johnson

KANSAS CITY CURRENT (4-2-3-1): #23-Lorena; #18-Izzy Rodriguez, #24-Gabrielle Robinson, #27-Kayla Sharples, #5-Ellie Bravo-Young; #31-Katie Scott (#12-Gianna Paul 85), #99-Debinha; #8-Croiz Bethune (#55-Penelope Hocking 75), #10-Lo’eay LaBonta (#11-Rocky Rodriguez 61), #17-Michelle Cooper (#13-Haley Hopkins 46); #21-Ally Sentnor

Subs not used: #1-Maria Jordan, #2-Laney Rouse, #7-Elizabeth Ball, #66-Kyra Carusa, #34-Kelsey Branson

TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 4-10 KC
SHOTS ON GOAL:  CHI 2-2 KC
FOULS:  CHI 13-8 KC
OFFSIDES:  CHI 1-3 KC
CORNER KICKS:  CHI 5-3 KC
SAVES:  CHI 1-0 KC

Referee: Alexandra Billeter
Assistant Referees: Jennifer Garner, Chris Schufranz
4th Official: Alex Beehler
VAR: Brad Jensen
AVAR: Christian Clerc
Weather: Windy and 37º
Attendance: 4,192
Woman of the Match: Julia Grosso (CHI)