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WPS Chicago Stars FC

Chicago Red Stars Host Atlanta on Wednesday

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


BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- For the third time over a month-long stretch, the Chicago Red Stars (3-5-4) take on the Atlanta Beat (1-6-3) in Women's Professional Soccer action when they host the midweek tilt at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Toyota Park.

Atlanta, which joined WPS for the 2010 season, currently leads the head-to-head series against Chicago with a 1-0-1 record. The Beat's lone win in their young history was a 1-0 decision over the Red Stars on June 19 in Kennesaw, Ga.

"They're a team where their back line is athletic and they don't give you many chances to where you can get behind them," Red Stars Head Coach Omid Namazi said of Atlanta. "We need to be sharp around the box and provide some good services. Through the middle of the field they're mobile. Their roster is stacked from the top to the bottom, especially ever since they added a bunch of Saint Louis players."

The Red Stars are coming off a four-game road trip where they posted a 1-1-2 record. Their most recent match was a scoreless draw against the Washington Freedom on Sunday, July 4. The Beat are coming off their most lopsided loss of the season, a 4-0 defeat to FC Gold Pride on July 3.

Chicago is at home for three of its next four matches. The lone road match in that stretch is at Atlanta on July 21.

CHANCES GALORE FOR RED STARS

The Red Stars have created scoring opportunities for themselves in the offensive third this season, and the numbers clearly portray it. Chicago posted a season-high 23 shots against Washington on Sunday, to go along with a season-high 11 shots on goal. Overall, Chicago leads WPS with 165 total shots, while first-place FC Gold Pride has 159. Red Stars forward Cristiane leads the league with 48 shots taken, and over the weekend she had five shots on goal, with another off frame. But as a team, the Red Stars rank second-to-last in goals (8). Only Atlanta (5) has scored fewer goals this season.

BEAT SHORTHANDED

Atlanta will be without defender Kia McNeill on Wednesday. She received a red card in the 34th minute of the Beat's 4-0 loss to Gold Pride for a challenge against Bay Area goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart. McNeill has started in eight matches for the Beat this season.

LAST TIME OUT

The Red Stars and Washington Freedom played to a scoreless draw on Sunday in Boyds, Md. Chicago goalkeeper Jillian Loyden posted her fourth shutout of the season, tying the season mark set by Caroline Jonsson during the inaugural 2009 WPS campaign. On the offensive end, the Red Stars created plenty of opportunities but could not cash in. The Red Stars posted a season-high 23 total shots and 11 shots on goal.

LOYDEN OUT OF THE SHADOWS

Red Stars goalkeeper Jillian Loyden previously was a backup goalkeeper to current Atlanta goalkeeper Hope Solo when both players were with the now-defunct Saint Louis Athletica. Loyden also backed up Solo during the 2010 WPS All-Star Game last week. Loyden has stepped out of the backup role smoothly with Chicago this season. Loyden's four shutouts tie for second-most in the league alongside Bay Area's Nicole Barnhart and one behind WPS leader Karen Bardsley of New Jersey. Loyden also has 40 saves (ranks fourth) and has a goals allowed average of only 0.83.

DUBBED 'ATLANTICA'

In some circles the Beat have earned the nickname "Atlantica," which is a combination of Atlanta and Athletica - a reference to the former Saint Louis squad. Following the dissolution of Athletica, the Beat took advantage of a new free agent pool, and now nine former Saint Louis players comprise the current Atlanta roster - forward Eniola Aluko, midfielder Carolyn Blank, midfielder Lori Chalupny, forward Amanda Cinalli, defender Tina Ellertson, midfielder Angie Kerr, defender Kia McNeill, midfielder Aya Miyama and goalkeeper Hope Solo.

ON THE HORIZON

Following Wednesday's match against Atlanta, the Red Stars host 2009 WPS champion Sky Blue FC at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 10, at Toyota Park. The New Jersey-based squad has had the upper hand in both matches against the Red Stars this season, posting 1-0 victories on April 11 and 25.

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, July 7, against Atlanta. Rob Coons handles the English play-by-play, and Jorge Trujillo and Enrique "Tico" Fernandez provide the Spanish webcast.

QUOTABLE

"We've really tried to focus on our fitness in the last two weeks, and it has improved as a whole. It has been raised to the point where we can go 90 minutes and we can control the game."

- Omid Namazi, Red Stars Head Coach

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Women's Professional Soccer Stories from July 6, 2010


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