Alyssa Naeher had a clean sheet against Orlando on May 27 and was honored for a milestone after the game. Photo by Jeff Vorva
Pro Sports Report | Orlando outshoots Chicago 19-2, loses 1-0
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
Orlando outshot the Chicago Red Stars 19-2, including a 6-2 disadvantage with shots on goal, during a May 27 visit to SeatGeek Stadium.
That would normally be a recipe for disaster for the home team.
But the Stars defense and goalie Alyssa Naeher withstood the barrage, and the team took advantage of a Yuki Nagasato header in the 22nd minute for a 1-0 victory in an NWSL match in front of an announced crowd of 5,646 in Bridgeview. The attendance was the third-highest at SeatGeek in Red Stars history.
Naeher stopped six shots, with the fifth save making history as the 519th of her career, surpassing Ashlyn Harris for the NWSL’s career mark.
After the game, Naeher was honored for her 150th regular-season NWSL appearance, which she made May 12 against Racing Louisville. She is the first goalkeeper in league history to play in 150 matches.
“It speaks that I have been doing this a long time,” Naeher said. “I’ve been very fortunate, grateful and blessed to be able to do this for 15 years and that’s what I think those things represent.”
Orlando (3-5-1) came into the game hot. The Pride went 0-4-1 in its first five games, but was 3-1-1 in its last five matches before heading to Chicago.
Naeher helped make sure the Pride stayed off the scoreboard.
“It wasn’t always pretty,” she said. “But to see the way the team battled and fought, we earned the three points big time.”
Red Stars coach Chris Petrucelli had high praise for Naeher.
“She’s been the best goalkeeper in the world for many years,” Petrucelli said. “Right now, she’s playing at an extremely high level. In the two years I’ve been here, she’s been fantastic.
“It’s rare that a goalkeeper wins you games, but we have one that wins games for us. She makes saves that shouldn’t be made. It’s just very comforting to know that she’s in there.”
The Red Stars were slated to play a Challenge Cup game against Racing Louisville on May 31 and return to NWSL action in a rare Monday night game at 9 p.m. at Angel City FC at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Fire back in Bridgeview
For the third time this season, the Chicago Fire will call SeatGeek its home when it hosts the Houston Dynamo at 7 p.m. on June 6 in the quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
The Fire plays most of its games at Soldier Field.
Season ticket members will be available to purchase tickets through the Fire’s Members Headquarters page. Tickets are on sale to the general public and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.
With tournament pairings determined by a bracket beginning in the Round of 16, the Fire will face a new-look Dynamo team led by Ben Olsen. It will be the first encounter in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup between the two sides, who are two of three previous tournament winners still alive in the 2023 edition of the historic competition, along with the LA Galaxy.
Houston defeated a 10-man Minnesota United FC 4-0 on May 23. Corey Baird scored a hat-trick for the Dynamo at Shell Energy Stadium and set up Aliyu Ibrahim for the fourth goal of the match.
The Fire have won four U.S. Open Cup trophies, winning in 1998, 2000, 2003. Chicago’s four titles are tied with Seattle Sounders FC and Sporting KC for the most championships won by an MLS team, and the second-most in the history of the tournament.
The Fire appeared in the semifinals on 13 occasions, including six times in an eight-year period (2011-2018), tallying a 47-16-7 all-time record in the annual competition.
Interim coach Frank Klopas said that even the tournament does not count in the MLS standing, it’s still important and wants his team to win a fifth title.
Fire II loses
The Chicago Fire II dropped a 1-0 decision to Crown Legacy on May 28 at Seat Geek Stadium in an MSL NEXT Pro contest.
Not only did the Fire (2-4-3) lose the game, Harold Osorio had his streak of three games with a goal snapped against Crown Legacy (8-1-1), a team associated with Charlotte.
The Fire II visits Columbus on June 4.
Hounds comeback falls short
The Chicago Hounds were down 33-7 to Houston and made an amazing comeback to knot their Major League Rugby game at 33.
But Houston (8-5-0) had the last word in a 40-33 victory over the reeling Hounds (1-12-0) on May 27
The Hounds host the San Diego Legion at 6 p.m. June 3 at SeatGeek Stadium. It is their last home game of their inaugural season.
San Diego won the first meeting, 48-24, on April 16.
4 Comments
Local News
Community pride is flying high
Spread the love. By Patti Tyznik Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • ptyznik@gmail.com . It’s a “banner day” in Garfield Ridge! If you take a look around the neighborhood, you’ll see brand new Garfield Ridge community signs hanging from the light posts running along Archer. What a wonderful way to highlight…
Softball | Mother McAuley seeks to right ship
Spread the loveFrom Staff Reports The 2024 season is off to an uneven and somewhat rocky start for Mother McAuley. The Mighty Macs opened the spring with consecutive losses — 9-3 to Oak Forest on March 11 and 18-1 to Benet on March 13 — before getting off the schneid with an 18-1 win over…
Boys Basketball | Players from Evergreen Park and Brother Rice to ball at prospect showcase
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Five players from the area have been invited to play on the South Suburban Team at the Illinois Hoop Prospect Senior All-Star Games scheduled to be played March 24 at Joliet Junior College. Brother Rice’s Zavier Fitch and Ty Wooten join Evergreen Park’s Nolan Sexton, Marist’s Darshan Thomas and…
Girls Basketball | George Shimko takes reins for Mustangs
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent One longtime area basketball coach will succeed another at Evergreen Park. George Shimko, who brought success to the girls basketball programs at Queen of Peace and St. Laurence, has been named the new girls hoops coach at Evergreen Park. He will succeed Bruce Scaduto, who retired after 27 years…
De La Salle tabs Harold Blackmon as next football coach
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent A pair of familiar coaches from the area have landed in new spots. Harold Blackmon, who has been head football coach at St. Laurence and Oak Lawn, has been named coach at De La Salle. George Shimko, a former girls basketball coach at Queen of Peace and St. Laurence,…
Red Stars, rugby will highlight big weekend at SeatGeek
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Things will get busy in Bridgeview this weekend. The Chicago Fire II will host its season opener against Toronto FC II at 6 p.m. Friday, March 22 at SeatGeek Stadium. The following day, the Chicago Red Stars make their 2024 home debut against Seattle at 3 p.m. Rugby invades…
Red Stars Report | Cooks provide recipe for success in Red Stars’ win over Utah
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Lorne Donaldson era is already Cook-ing. The new Chicago Red Stars coach enjoyed a victory in his debut with a 2-0 triumph over Utah in the NWSL season-opener for both teams on March 16 at America First Field in Sandy, Utah. The game was the first in franchise…
College Sports Wrap | Morton College OF Angelo Luna slugs two grand slams in one day
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Area college baseball sluggers had a grand time on March 16. Former St. Laurence standout Angelo Luna, a sophomore outfielder at Morton College, hit two grand slams and drove in 10 runs over two games as the Panthers beat Highland, 7-3 and 18-5, in a doubleheader at home. Luna…
College Notebook | Ex-Mount Carmel wrestler Sergio Lemley takes fourth in Big Ten
Spread the loveBy Mike Walsh Correspondent One reason the Michigan wrestling team has been successful this season is freshman Sergio Lemley. At the Big Ten tournament, Lemley won three of his five matches to finish fourth at 141 pounds. The Wolverines placed second with 123.5 points behind conference champion Penn State (170.5). In the consolation…
Take back the country from the rich
Spread the love. By Ray Hanania . The pandemic gave license to politicians and businesses to pursue their own needs and priorities over the needs of the public. It’s all political BS, of course, when people claim the economy is great. It’s not, unless you are making a fortune. Everyone has seen the cost increases…
Neighbors
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
Capitol Briefs: Pritzker executive order creates advisory council for affordable sickle cell treatment
DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday signed an order to create an advisory council to examine how Illinois’ Medicaid program can help cover costs of emerging gene therapies that effectively treat sickle cell disease and other rare disorders. About 5,000 Illinoisans live with sickle cell disease, a gene defect most…
Illinois high court asked to review law limiting venue in constitutional challenges
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court is being asked to decide on the constitutionality of a new state law that says constitutional challenges to state laws and actions can only be filed in Cook or Sangamon counties. Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office on Monday filed an appeal directly…
Diversity, judicial appointments at issue in 1st District Supreme Court race
By HANNAH MEISEL DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The race for one of the seven Illinois Supreme Court seats pits an appointed incumbent against a second-time candidate as the two Democrats vie for their party’s nomination next week. Because no Republican has filed to run for the Cook County-based seat, it’s…
Pritzker agency heads questioned on $1.1 billion revenue proposals
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s revenue and budget directors took questions from a legislative panel Thursday on his proposals to generate another $1.1 billion in the upcoming fiscal year through various tax changes. Pritzker’s proposed spending plan anticipates $52.9 billion in revenue, with new funds raised by increasing…
Diversity, judicial appointments at issue in 1st District Supreme Court race
By HANNAH MEISEL DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The race for one of the seven Illinois Supreme Court seats pits an appointed incumbent against a second-time candidate as the two Democrats vie for their party’s nomination next week. Because no Republican has filed to run for the Cook County-based seat, it’s…
Bailey vs. Bost congressional race among GOP primaries to watch
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The March 19 primaries in Illinois may seem anticlimactic to those who are only interested in presidential politics. Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump sewed up their nominations a full week before polls even opened in the Prairie State. But further down…
Candidate Q&A: Cunningham, Reyes make pitch for Supreme Court seat
Compiled by Capitol News Illinois There’s one contested primary for an Illinois Supreme Court seat on the March 19 ballot, with appointed incumbent Justice Joy Cunningham facing challenger and 1st District Appellate Court Justice Jesse Reyes. The 1st District race is for one of three Cook County seats and one of seven spots on the…
Pritzker agency heads questioned on $1.1 billion revenue proposals
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s revenue and budget directors took questions from a legislative panel Thursday on his proposals to generate another $1.1 billion in the upcoming fiscal year through various tax changes. Pritzker’s proposed spending plan anticipates $52.9 billion in revenue, with new funds raised by increasing…
House panel opens hearings on Pritzker’s health insurance reforms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A panel of Illinois lawmakers began hearing testimony Wednesday on Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposals for sweeping changes in the state’s health insurance industry. The changes, which Pritzker first unveiled in his State of the State address in February, would limit the ability of companies to deny…
[…] Source […]
[…] Source […]
[…] Related Article […]
[…] Source […]