Mallory Pugh has 10 goals for the Red Stars. Photo by Jeff Vorva
Pro Soccer Report: Red Stars hanging on to playoff spot; Fire eliminated from postseason contention
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
The Chicago Red Stars returned to Bridgeview with mixed results in two games, but held onto the final playoff spot in the NWSL and increased their lead over seventh-place Angel City.
The top six teams make the playoff in the 12-team league.
The Red Stars (8-6-6, 30 points) cooled off red-hot Kansas City, 4-0, on Sept. 14 but couldn’t keep the momentum going Sept. 17 and fell to Houston, 1-0.
Angel City (7-7-5, 26 points) dropped a pair of games last week, including a 1-0 setback to San Diego Saturday in the Wave’s debut at Snapdragon Stadium, which drew 32,000 fans.
Chicago plays Sunday at Portland and hosts Angel City on Oct. 2. Angel City, however, had nine possible points to collect and was scheduled to host Washington on Wednesday, Racing Louisville on Sunday and the showdown with the Red Stars at SeatGeek Stadium.
“At this time of year, we have to find points,” Red Stars coach Chris Petrucelli said.
The coach thought his team looked a little slow against Houston and hopes the league looks into the matter of teams playing two matches in four days.
Houston’s Ebony Salmon scored the lone goal of the game in the 24th minute.
The win over the Current, however, was the most impressive of the season as the Red Stars dominated a team that had not lost since May.
Kansas City entered SeatGeek in first place for the first time in the two-year history of the team. The Current was 9-0-4 in the previous 13 games after opening the season 0-4-1.
Orland Park’s Tatumn Milazzo got the scoring going right away in the fifth minute. Mallory Pugh scored her ninth and 10th goals of the season in the seventh and 59th minutes, and Amanda Kowalski added one in the 71st minute.
Milazzo, a defender who doesn’t get a lot of scoring opportunities, scored her second goal of the year and third in her two-year career on Pugh’s throw-in.
“We have a game plan, and you move into your spot and execute,” said Milazzo, an Andrew graduate.
“We tried to get the ball in that area, and she certainly jumped on it,” Petrucelli said. “It’s a huge win because Kansas City was on such a great run. I don’t know what kind of statement it is, but we got three big points.”
It was the Red Stars first game in Bridgeview since Aug. 7.
Milazzo leads the team this season with 966 attempted passes and 43 interceptions.
Milestone for Hill
Chicago’s Rachel Hill made her 100th NWSL appearance in the Kansas City match. She had 60 appearances with Orlando from 2017-2019 and joined the Red Stars in 2020.
Friendly Fire
The Chicago Fire was eliminated from the MLS playoff picture with a 3-2 loss to Charlotte on Sept. 17 at Solider Field. The team has two matches remaining at SeatGeek Stadium, including a friendly at 5 p.m. Saturday against the Mexican Premier League’s Leon FC.
Leon is an eight-time Liga MX champion.
Lunay tunes in Bridgeview
Puerto Rican singer and rapper Lunay will host a postgame concert following the Fire’s final regular season match at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 9 against New England Revolution at SeatGeek Stadium.
The match will also serve as the Fire’s 25th season celebration, featuring alumni appearances and an exclusive 1998 MLS Cup Champions Pennant giveaway, in addition to Lunay’s postgame performance.
“We are so excited to welcome Lunay on Oct. 9 and to host his concert for our fans as part of our Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations and 25th Anniversary weekend,” said Chicago Fire FC President of Business Operations Ishwara Glassman Chrein. “We are thrilled for this unique opportunity to engage with our incredible fanbase and celebrate the Hispanic community with Lunay’s post-match performance, in addition to all of the exciting activities that will be held throughout our anniversary weekend.”
Fire II finished
The Chicago Fire II missed the playoffs but beat Inter Miami CF II, 1-0, Sunday at SeatGeek Stadium to close its first MLS NEXT Pro season with an 8-11-5 record.
Alex Monis scored a goal and Mihajlo Miskovic recorded his first shutout of the season.
Local News
Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.
Neighbors
Pool improvements advance in Palos Heights
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Palos Heights aldermen last week approved contracts advancing improvements at the municipal pool. Alderman Jefry Key motioned for approval of a letter of agreement with the American Institute of Architects between Williams Architect and the City of Palos Heights for the pool improvement project. Since first proposing pool improvements in…
Teens enjoy Green Hills karaoke party
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Palos Hills tweens and teens sang their hearts out for karaoke night at a neighborhood coffee house. Green Hills Library invited all tweens and teens for a karaoke night at Strange Brew Cafe on West 103rd Street and 87th Street on Feb. 22. Organized by Green Hill Library Youth Program…
Cervantinos Authentic Mexican Restaurant opens in Palos Heights
Spread the loveBy Kelly White When choosing a location for his second business location, Luis Garcia knew he wanted it to be Palos Heights. “I absolutely love it here,” Luis Garcia, of Oak Forest and the owner and chef of Cervantinos Authentic Mexican Restaurant #2, said. “It’s a great area, nice clientele and I’m happy…
Worth Polar Plunge raises record amount
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle The FOP Worth Polar Plunge has been deemed a major success and local officials said the amount raised has set a new record. The annual event, sponsored by the Worth Police Department, took place in a large swimming pool that was put up in the parking lot of the Marrs-Meyer…
Green Hills Public Library hosts Eid Clothing Drive
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The Islamic calendar has two major holidays each year: Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan and celebrates an entire month of fasting, and Eid al-Adha, the festival of the sacrifice that occurs during the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage season. It takes place two lunar months after Ramadan.…
Police Blotter
Spread the loveCHICAGO RIDGE DUI Orlando De La Rosa, 32, of Berwyn, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol following a traffic stop at 2:29 a.m. March 8 in the 9200 block of South Harlem Avenue. Police said he failed field sobriety tests and refused to submit a breath sample. He was also…
Oak Lawn seeks participants for Fourth of July parade
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle It may be spring, but it is not too early to talk about a summer parade. The Oak Lawn Village Board approved a resolution Tuesday morning authorizing the submission of a permit request to the Illinois Department of Transportation for the 2024 Fourth of July Parade. The resolution approves the…
Sandburg welcomes new associate principal of instruction
Spread the loveConsolidated High School District 230 Board of Education is welcoming Dr. Veronica Shaw to Carl Sandburg High School as its new Associate Principal of Instruction. She begins July 1 and replaces Anita Huffman who was recently appointed as District 230’s Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services. With ample education leadership experience, Shaw is currently…
Residents warm up to Hills Chamber Business Expo
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Spring has arrived but winter continues to leave its calling card. However, that did not prevent the Hills Chamber of Commerce from holding its 10th annual Business and Community Expo Saturday at Conrady Junior High School in Hickory Hills. While the temperatures were frigid and windy outside, the spirit inside…
Palos Park to tweak outdated village zoning codes
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva The village of Palos Park has no grand plan to change the village landscape. But officials want to modernize some of its zoning codes. “The village has not comprehensively updated its development regulations since 1960,” Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters said at the March 25 village council meeting. “Due to this, there…