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Chicago Red Stars

Red Stars Fall To 1st-place Gold Pride, 2-0

May 9, 2010 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
Chicago Red Stars News Release


CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. -- The Chicago Red Stars fell to first-place FC Gold Pride, 2-0, on Saturday in Women's Professional Soccer play at Castro Valley Athletic Stadium.

The Red Stars had to play for approximately 65 minutes with only 10 players on the pitch. In the 25th minute, Red Stars defender Ifeoma Dieke was issued a red card for fouling Gold Pride's Kelley O'Hara in the box.

Chicago avoided any initial damage when Gold Pride's Tiffeny Milbrett missed that particular penalty kick attempt. But Milbrett and O'Hara would make up for it with goals in the 45th and 78th minutes, respectively.

"We hoped to get into halftime scoreless, and them scoring a minute before halftime was a blow for us," Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes said of Milbrett's goal. "Chasing the game for 60 minutes is just too difficult for this level."

Next up for the Red Stars is a 6 p.m. match on Saturday, May 15, when they host the expansion Philadelphia Independence at Toyota Park in Bridgeview. Chicago plays its next three league matches at home, with a Gold Pride rematch on May 29 and a match against WPS's other expansion team, the Atlanta Beat, on June 6.

Down to 10 players with Dieke's ejection on Saturday, Hayes stacked the defensive side of the ball when she brought in Natalie Spilger for forward Casey Nogueira in the 30th minute.

The Red Stars nearly escaped the first half unscathed. But in the 45th minute, Milbrett followed up her own rebound with an unassisted goal past Red Stars goalkeeper Jillian Loyden for the 1-0 Gold Pride lead.

O'Hara increased Gold Pride's lead to 2-0 when she struck in the 78th, with Kimberly Yokers assisting.

Loyden made seven saves for the Red Stars and Nicole Barnhart had two saves and the clean sheet for Gold Pride.

"Jillian had a fantastic game," Hayes said of the Chicago goalkeeper. "She was our player of the match. She had a great game and kept us in it."

For the first time this season, the Red Stars were out-shot during a match, 19-4. Gold Pride leads the all-time series against Chicago with a 2-1-1 record.

"I don't think we played well tonight," Hayes said. "It took us too long to get going, and they came out gunning at us. They dominated us in every way, and we were out-played."

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