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WPS Chicago Stars FC

Chicago Red Stars Battle 1st-Place Gold Pride on Saturday

August 6, 2010 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Red Stars (5-8-5) cap off their three-game road trip when they face four-time FIFA Women's Player of the Year Marta and the first-place FC Gold Pride (12-3-2) at 9 p.m. Saturday in Hayward, Calif.

The Red Stars and Gold Pride have each posted a win head-to-head this season. Chicago is coming off a 2-1 victory over defending champion Sky Blue FC on Aug. 1. Gold Pride is coming off a scoreless draw against the Atlanta Beat.

The Red Stars currently are tied for fourth place in the league standings with the Washington Freedom. Chicago can surpass its 2009 points total with a win or a draw against Gold Pride.

ASLLANI MUTUALLY RELEASED

This week, forward Kosovare Asllani was mutually released as she wants to return to Sweden to play for Damallsvenskan organization Linkoping FC and prepare for 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers. Asllani netted two goals in 13 games for the Red Stars. "The ability to play a full fall season is the right step for me to best prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers," Asllani said.

RED STARS ACQUIRE IKIDI'S RIGHTS

Also this week, Chicago traded defender Anita Asante to the Washington Freedom for the rights to Nigerian international defender Faith Ikidi. Ikidi currently is under contract in Sweden. "We're looking for her as a long-term option who can play at center back or on the outside," Red Stars Head Coach Omid Namazi said. "That's an area where we are too thin right now, and adding Ikidi would build some depth there."

RED STARS VS. GOLD PRIDE, HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Red Stars and Gold Pride are tied 2-2-1 in the all-time series. This year, Gold Pride blanked the visiting Red Stars, 2-0, on May 8. But Chicago earned a 1-0 victory over Bay Area on May 29 at Toyota Park.

GOLD PRIDE RUNNING AWAY

Gold Pride's scoreless draw against the Atlanta Beat on Aug. 1 was, in retrospect, a downer compared to most of Bay Area's accomplishments this season. Gold Pride won its previous four matches, and the team has not dropped a match since a 2-0 loss to Sky Blue FC on June 27. Gold Pride's six-match unbeaten streak is its longest of the season. The Bay Area club can clinch a playoff spot Saturday with a draw or win against the Red Stars on Saturday.

BY THE NUMBERS

Gold Pride forward Marta leads WPS with 13 goals in 17 matches this season. ... Bay Area goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart leads the league with a 0.80 goals against average and is tied for the league lead with five shutouts. ... Gold Pride forward Christine Sinclair ranks second in WPS with seven assists. ... Forward Ella Masar leads the Red Stars with five goals. ... Defender Marian Dalmy leads Chicago with three assists. ... Red Stars goalkeeper Jillian Loyden is tied for fourth 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 5-0-0 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.

BRAZILIAN INFLUENCE

Saturday's matchup features three Brazilian internationals - Gold Pride forward Marta, Red Stars forward Cristiane and Red Stars midfielder Formiga. This trio guided Brazil's national team to unprecedented success over the past decade, winning silver medals in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, a gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games and a finalist finish at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.

LAST TIME OUT

The Red Stars are coming off a 2-1 road victory over Sky Blue FC on Aug. 1 in Piscataway, N.J. The win ended Chicago's three-game losing streak and handed Sky Blue its fourth straight loss. Ella Masar tallied her team-leading fifth goal and Karen Carney netted her first of the season. The win catapulted the Red Stars over Sky Blue in the league standings, and Chicago improved to 2-2-0 against New Jersey this year.

ON THE HORIZON

Following Saturday's match against Gold Pride, the Red Stars return to Toyota Park when they host the Philadelphia Independence at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11. The Red Stars play four of their final five regular-season matches at home. Philadelphia, which joined WPS for the 2010 season, has posted a 2-0-0 record against Chicago this year.

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.

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