Chicago Red Stars Defeat Utah Royals 2-0

“We know as a group that Sam Staab has a lethal left foot,” Schlegel said on the post-match media call. “And I think when she’s in position to serve the ball in the box, that’s where I’m trying to get to. I think we know that her service, again, is lethal and she has the ability to be super accurate. So I’m just trying to get on the back shoulder of defenders and just meet that ball at the right timing and put it in the back of the net. So I think the focus is just when those players are on the ball, how quickly can we get in the box?”

Utah nearly leveled the match on a breakaway in the 54th minute. Hannah Betfort got in behind Sam Staab and brought the ball all the way into Chicago’s penalty area before taking a right footed effort that was destined for the corner of the net before Alyssa Naeher dove to her right and parried the ball away from danger. Belfort’s chance was the best of the match to that point for Utah and she should’ve done better with her effort on the counterattack.

Alyssa Naeher made another massive save in the 58th minute to keep her side up 1-0. Paige Monaghan had the ball in the Chicago penalty area before playing a pass to a wide open Hannah Betfort near the penalty spot. Betfort had time and space but failed to go either side of Alyssa Naeher, making the save easier than it should’ve been for Chicago’s captain.

Naeher made another very nice save to maintain her side’s lead in the 67th minute. Utah’s Ally Sentnor made an attacking run along the edge of Chicago’s penalty area and took a rip on goal once she was nearly in a central location. Sentnor’s effort had plenty of pace behind it but Naeher was there to make a sprawling save. Utah did nothing on the subsequent corner kick and Naeher deserves credit for denying a very nice goal-scoring opportunity for the home side.

Chicago were inches away from doubling their lead in the 75th minute. Mallory Swanson’s corner kick was half-cleared to Natalia Kuikka at the edge of the Utah penalty area and the defender headed the ball back toward the endline. Maximiliane Rall collected the loose ball and hammered a shot off the crossbar, nearly doubling Chicago’s lead.

The Red Stars weren’t content with being up by a single goal and finally doubled their lead in the 77th minute after some epic Cooking from the attack. Maximiliane Rall made a splendid run into the Utah penalty area before playing a pass to Ally Cook right in front of the Royals’ goal. The former UCLA Bruin played the ball back to Ava Cook and Chicago’s number seven had no problem making it a 2-0 lead for the Red Stars in Utah. Ava post-match happily gave Ally all the credit for creating the goal.

“She got herself in a really good position and I had to really do was clean up for her a little bit,” said Ava Cook. “So it was a great little connection that we have and I’m excited to keep doing it.”

Chicago was moments away from a win and Alyssa Naeher made a spectacular save to keep the clean sheet in the 97th minute. Ally Sentnor played a great free kick into Chicago’s penalty area that was met in the air by Ifeoma Onumonu despite being surrounded by Red Stars defenders. Onumonu’s effort was heading toward the back of the net but Naeher made a diving save to maintain her side’s 2-0 lead in the match’s dying moments.

Utah outshot the Red Stars 19-11 overall and had 5 on-target efforts to only 4 for Chicago while the home team maintained 67% possession despite losing 2-0.

Mallory Swanson made her return to competitive soccer in Utah after missing most of last year due to injury. The USWNT attacker played 81 minutes in Sandy and was a large part of Chicago’s attack throughout despite not being on the scoresheet. Swanson completed 17/21 passes (4 in final third), had 33 touches (5 in the opposition’s penalty area) while hitting the target with one shot and having the other blocked.

Despite his side helping him get his first win as a head coach in the NWSL, Lorne Donaldson said post-match that his team still has a lot to improve going forward.

“It always feels good…when you can get a W, especially away from home,” said Donaldson. “With this group, we’re going to work harder. We’re scratching the surface and hopefully the sky is the limit for us. We’re just trying to get better.”