WPS Chicago Stars FC

Chicago Red Stars Travel to N.J., Face 2009 Champion Sky Blue FC

Published on July 31, 2010 under Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Red Stars (4-8-5) take on defending champion Sky Blue FC (5-7-3) in Women's Professional Soccer action at 6 p.m. Sunday at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J.

Both teams are in the midst of their most disappointing stretches of the season shouldering three-game losing streaks. But the Red Stars and Sky Blue have an opportunity to turn the tide as every WPS team is in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Chicago is in the middle of a three-game road trip, having opened with a 3-0 loss at the Philadelphia Independence on July 28. New Jersey is coming off a 4-1 road loss to Philadelphia.

Sky Blue holds a dominating 5-1-1 record against the Red Stars in the head-to-head series, but Chicago finally put an end to its winless ways against New Jersey earlier this season. The Red Stars topped Sky Blue, 2-0, on July 10 at Toyota Park. In that match, Ella Masar tallied a goal for the Red Stars, and Chicago benefited from an own goal by Sky Blue's Daphne Koster.

CHANGES SINCE THEN ...

Following Sky Blue's 2-0 loss to the Red Stars on July 10, New Jersey posted a 1-0 home loss to the Atlanta Beat on July 18. That prompted the team to relieve Pauliina Miettinen of her coaching duties as Sky Blue appointed assistant coach Rick Stainton as the team's head coach. But New Jersey's losing streak reached three games when Sky Blue fell to the Philadelphia Independence, 4-1, on the road on July 24. ... From Chicago's standpoint, the Red Stars have lost three straight since their win over New Jersey, with opponents outscoring them 7-1 during their current stretch. The Red Stars' defense allowed only 11 goals in their first 14 games prior to their three-game losing streak.

BY THE NUMBERS

Finnish forward Laura Kalmari leads Sky Blue with four goals and Heather O'Reilly leads Sky Blue with three assists. ... Ella Masar leads the Red Stars with four goals, and four Red Stars players have two assists - Karen Carney, Cristiane, Marian Dalmy and Casey Nogueira. ... Red Stars goalkeeper Jillian Loyden is tied for second in the league with four shutouts. ... The Red Stars have been involved in 13 shutout matches this season, leading the league in that category, posting a 3-8-2 record. ... The Red Stars are 4-0-0 when scoring the first goal this season and 0-8-3 when their opponent scores first. Two Red Stars matches have resulted in scoreless draws.

LOCAL TIES

Red Stars Anita Asante and Julianne Sitch both played for Sky Blue during the team's championship season. Sitch, a native of Oswego, Ill., was signed by the Red Stars on Oct. 23, 2009, during the offseason, and Asante was signed by Chicago on June 9, 2010, following the dissolution of Saint Louis Athletica. ... Current Sky Blue midfielder Carli Lloyd was a U.S. Women's National Team-allocated player for the Red Stars and played for Chicago during the league's inaugural season. The Delran, N.J., native signed with New Jersey during the offseason. Lloyd suffered a setback early in the season, however, breaking an ankle during Sky Blue's April 25 match against the Red Stars.

LAST TIME OUT

The Red Stars are coming off a 3-0 loss to the Philadelphia Independence on Wednesday in West Chester, Pa. Amy Rodriguez had two goals and assisted Caroline Seger's goal, while Independence goalkeeper Val Henderson had to make only one save for the shutout - an 84th-minute shot from Red Stars forward Cristiane. Chicago goalkeeper Jillian Loyden made two saves against second-place Philadelphia. Red Stars Head Coach Omid Namazi went with a three-player defensive back line and 3-5-2 formation, with Whitney Engen in the center, Anita Asante on the left and Kate Markgraf on the right. Namazi said he plans to return to a four-player back line.

Chicago also missed midfielder Katie Chapman, who was away with the England National Team. "Not having Chappy in the middle of the field hurt us because we lacked that physical presence, that fight and battle in the middle," Namazi said. "That hurt us, and that's key. We're getting her back this weekend and we'll play with the same midfield that we've played with before, the same back line."

ON THE HORIZON

Following Sunday's match against Sky Blue, the Red Stars wrap up their three-game road swing with a 9 p.m. match on Saturday, Aug. 7, against first-place FC Gold Pride in Hayward, Calif. Chicago and the Bay Area club have faced each other twice so far this season, with Gold Pride earning a 2-0 home victory on May 8 and the Red Stars taking a 1-0 win on May 29 at Toyota Park. Gold Pride is leading WPS with a 12-3-1 record and 37 points, 10 points ahead of second-place Philadelphia.

HOME GAMES ONLINE

Red Stars home matches are broadcast in both English and Spanish on www.ChicagoRedStars.com. The next Red Stars home match is at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11, against the Philadelphia Independence. Rob Coons handles the English play-by-play, and Jorge Trujillo and Enrique "Tico" Fernandez provide the Spanish webcast.

QUOTABLE

"I think for a while the back line and the midfield were able to hold it together. ... Now, if the defenders are making one mistake, it's being pronounced and we're being punished. So we need to get back to being strong on the back line, keep possession, so we can get back to how we played in that middle stretch [of the season]."

- Red Stars Head Coach Omid Namazi

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Women's Professional Soccer Stories from July 31, 2010


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