Merritt Mathias of FC Kansas City. (Photo Copyright Thad Bell for www.womens.soccerly.com | http://www.tpbphoto.com/)
FC Kansas City defeated the Chicago Red Stars 2-0 on Thursday night at Benedictine University Sports Complex in Lisle, Ill., behind goals from Casey Loyd and Courtney Jones. The win put the Blues into third place in the National Women’s Soccer League heading into the weekend, when the two teams meet again in Kansas on Sunday.
Loyd opened the scoring in the 27th minute from the penalty spot, scoring her first goal of the season. Melissa Henderson backed down Chicago defender Sonja Fuss inside the 18-yard box and turned the German, who then fouled her to give the visitors the spot kick. Lloyd stepped up and calmly slotted the ball past Red Stars goalkeeper Taylor Vancil.
Henderson nearly doubled Kansas City’s lead in the 32nd minute when she found herself in alone on a breakaway, but Vancil made a huge save to deny the goal. Vancil also came up big in the opening minutes when Jones sent a hard shot on goal from an acute angle. Vancil, filling in for Erin McLeod, who departed for Canadian national team duty, finished with six saves.
“Anytime you go down in a game you have to start chasing the game and it changes a lot of things,” Red Stars coach Rory Dames said. “The entire second half was stretched and they’re athletic so it makes it difficult.”
Kansas City were without many of their regulars: Nicole Barnhart, Becky Sauerbrunn, Lauren Cheney and Kristie Mewis were all away with the U.S. national team, while Lauren Sesselmann and Desiree Scott were away with Canada and Mexican forward Renae Cuellar is still injured.
Chicago had its own breakaway in the opening minutes of the second half. Mexican international Maribel Dominguez rounded Kansas City goalkeeper Bianca Hennninger, but Dominguez sent her slow shot just wide of goal.
Fuss also forced Henninger into a big save in the 87th minute on a free kick from 19 yards out.
The loss snaps Chicago’s (2-5-2, 8 pts) two-game winning streak. Kansas City (5-3-1, 16 pts.) is two points clear of Western New York, but the Blues have a game in hand.
Chicago Red Stars (2-5-2, 8pts) vs. FC Kansas City (5-3-1, 16pts)
June 13 th , 2013 – Benedictine University Sports Complex (Lisle, IL)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
FCKC 1 1 2
CRS 0 0 0
Scoring Summary
FCKC – Casey Loyd 25’ (penalty kick)
FCKC- Courtney Jones (Erika Tymrak) 66’
Lineups:
Chicago: GK Taylor Vancil , Lydia Vandenbergh, Sonja Fuss, Taryn Hemmings, Michelle Wenino, Julianne Sitch, Jackie Santacaterina (Jennifer Hoy 67’), Jessica McDonald (Inka Grings 46’), Dinora Garza (Lori Chalpuny 46’), Alyssa Mautz, Maribel Dominguez
Subs not used: Ella Masar, Rachel Quon, Leslie Osborne, Kelsey Devonshire
FC Kansas City: GK Bianca Henninger, Merritt Mathias, Courtney Jones (Natalie Norris 88’), Nia Williams, Katie Kelly, Jen Buczowski, Leigh Ann Robinson, Erika Tymrak, Casey Loyd (Jaime French 79’), Sinead Farrelly (Missy Geha 90’), Melissa Henderson
Subs not used: none
Misconduct Summary:
CRS: Lydia Vandenbergh (Yellow Card 34’), FCKC: Nia Williams (Yellow Card 86’), CRS: Inka Grings (Yellow Card 90’)
Referee: Josh Wilkens
Assistant Referees: Mark Boyko, Keith Angel
Fourth Official: Greg Dopka
Weather: 73 degrees, partly sunny
Attendance: 1,141
