Huitema brace lifts Stars past Royals

Chicago Stars FC 3-2 Utah Royals

EVANSTON, IL-Returning from some time off, rhe Chicago Stars used it to its own advantage and got past the Utah Royals with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Jordyn Huitema secured her first-ever brace and Sam Staab had the other Stars goal.

Chicago improved its record to (4-9-0, 12 points). While the Utah Royals dropped to (7-3-3, 24 points).

“It’s exciting, because this team has so much to offer,” Huitema said. “This game, we really started to show it and we’ve known it. It’s been building and it’s the start for us. It’s a great start to the second half of the season. We’re starting to come into what we are as a team. I’m excited to see what this team can do in the second half.”

Trying to find where the team could be and what they can do on the field. The team had to take the break. They got its footing back as a club to be a better team.

“We had to take a step back and reflected what our first half looked like,” Huitema said. “All of us were disappointed of what it was. Knowing deep down that we’re a better team than that. We worked really hard and ran a lot. We had hard conversations and did the work. It’s showing and we’ll take the momentum. We do look good from start to finish. From our press to our build out. We’re tough to deal with. We’ve got strength all around the field that teams can’t deal with anymore. Once the relationships keep building with the connections, we will be a tough team to beat.”

The last game before the break was a very disappointing, a 2-0 home defeat to the San Diego Wave on May 31st.

“I do think that everyone needed a break,” Chicago Stars head coach Martin Sjogren said. “After the San Diego game, I hated the performance. We all felt that we needed some time off. Now, we’ve come back together. Everyone, has had a positive mindset and have worked hard. In this game, we showed a high morale. I think we did really good to turn it around and win the game.”

Chicago rallied from a 2-1 deficit to take this match over the last 30-plus minutes. Staab scored on a free kick that tied it up at 2-2 in the 59th minute.

Huitema scored the eventual game-winning goal in the 86th minute in the box after taking a head-flick from teammate Maitane for the one-goal difference.

The Stars got on the board first in the 20th minute of play. Hutema scored off an assist from Narumi Miura.

But, the Utah Royals side recovered to even the match at 1-1 in the 43rd minute. Cloe Lacasse found the back of the net.

The Royals pushed ahead in the 54th minute. Cece Delzer connected on a penalty kick. Delzer earned the kick on a hard tackle in the box from the Stars’ Taylor Wood.

Mallory Swanson for the Stars played the entire match and looked at her best out there, setting up the offense in the final third of the field.

“I always want to keep Mallory (Swanson) in there,” Sjogren said. “She’s a threat from behind. She’s also good at keeping the ball. We have a lot of good team behaviors and push each other. They push each other in a good way.”

The Stars hit the road in their next match playing the Boston Legacy, Friday, July 10th at 7 p.m. While Utah will host Gotham FC Friday, at 9 p.m.

Photos by Len Cederholm

SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Huitema (Pinto) 20′
UTA-Lacasse (unassisted) 43′
UTA-Delzer (pk) 54′
CHI-Staab (unassisted) 59′
CHI-Huitema (Maitane) 86′

BOOKING SUMARY:
CHI-Pinto (yellow, dissent) 42′
UTA-Tejada (yellow, unsporting behavior) 75′

Starting Lineups:
CHICAGO STARS FC: #27-Atkinson, #11-Gomes, #3-Staab, #25-Farmer, #14-Wood (#5-Alozie 76), #77-Maitane, #8-Joseph, (#18-Chacon 91), #16-Hayashi, #10-Pinto (#20-Franklin 66), #9-Swanson, #99-Huitema.

UTAH ROYALS: #1-McGlynn, #14-Rábano, #2-Milazzo, #8-Del Fava, #30-Spaanstra (#13-Mozingo 78), #10-Miura, #17-Tejada, #24-Lacasse, #16-Brown (#99-Hammond 46), #5-Delzer (#9-Prašnikar 78), #21-Palacios

TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 15-13 UTA
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 7-4 UTA
FOULS: CHI 13-16 UTA
OFFSIDES: CHI 2-2 UTA
CORNER KICKS: CHI 5-4 UTA
SAVES: CHI 2-4 UTA

Referee: Laadi Issaka
Assistant Referees: Max Smith and Laura Chambers Waliski
Fourth Official: Braeden Frey
VAR: Ekaterina Koroleva
Assistant VAR: Katarzyna Wasiak
Weather: Cloudy and 68
Attendance: 4,156