Excitement was high in Kansas City on Wednesday, as they welcomed back NWSL regular season soccer. It was Sept. 29, 2017, that it last welcomed an NWSL side, before relocating to Utah in the 2018 offseason. To welcome the team back, the entire city turned teal in support. That support followed the side into the stadium. Unfortunately, the crowd of over 5,000 didn’t get the result they hoped. A Chicago victory, from late substitutions, earned the Red Stars a 2-0 victory.
Even First Half Highlighted by Big Saves
In the first 10 minutes, Kansas City were the aggressors, getting into good areas and with the best chance of the early moments of the contest. Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made a point blank save to keep the score level. Kansas City didn’t see the corner flag much before Wednesday, only getting two in two matches. The first 13 minutes saw KC take three corner kicks, showing that they were getting into better-attacking positions.
Not only were local Kansas City residents in attendance but some big names in the sport. NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird and US Women’s National Team head coach Vlatko Andonovski both saw a close match between the two Midwest clubs. Andonovski is no stranger to the city, coaching FC Kansas City from 2013-2017.
Chicago, a team that fans are used to seeing relentlessly attack the defensive penalty area were pinned back in the first half. Usual starters in forwards Mallory Pugh, Kealia Watt, and midfielder Danny Colaprico all started the match on the bench. In the 17th minute, forward Makenzy Doniak gave the Red Stars their first good chance. Near the corner of the penalty area, she unleashed a shot that hit the glove of goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and off the crossbar.
Naeher stepped up huge again in the 26th minute. Kansas City’s Mariana Larroquette got into a good position off an Amy Rodriguez pass, but Naeher showed why the US starting job is hers to lose. Barnhart wasn’t going to be shown up, and in the 34th minute, she made a diving save on midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo.
Within a minute, the KC defensive penalty area went from a soccer match to a rugby scrum, when multiple players in KC red and Chicago white attacked the ball. It wouldn’t make it into the net. After the Red Stars absorbed pressure for much of the half, they took their turn attacking.
The half ended with Chicago getting increasingly more chances, but then there was bad news for Kansas City. After a minute and 20 seconds of a minute of stoppage time, KC defender Taylor Leach took a fall in stopping a Chicago attack. The defender that gave them a come-from-behind, ten-player, draw against Houston came off at halftime.
Second Half Substitute Magic
Chicago came out in the second half with more chances, but nothing challenging Barnhart and the KC backline. Head coach Rory Dames saw enough of the lackluster Chicago defense and brought in Watt and Pugh in the 60th minute. It would prove to be the deciding factor in the Chicago victory.
Kansas City sustained a couple of quick attacks after the Chicago offensive overhaul. The Missouri-side made two changes of their own. Forwards Mallory Weber and former Red Star Michelle Vasconcelos came in to match Chicago’s fresh legs in the final third. Dames’ move paid dividends in the 67th minute.
Pugh and Watt, on the break, found space in the Kansas City defense. Watt received a pass, made a quick shuffle in the penalty area, and buried a goal into the far corner of the net. Their first goal of the young 2021 NWSL regular season, and wouldn’t be their last.
At the 70-minute mark, Doniak increased the lead to two, off another Pugh pass into a good area. It only took Pugh 10 minutes to assist on two goals and after those two, Chicago didn’t relent. They maintained a lion share of possession and Pugh even broke up a Vasconcelos chance on goal, defensively.
The final 10 minutes saw Kansas City get better chances. Especially in the 85th minute when Rodriguez looked to get tackled in the box. There was no call by the referee, and on the replay, it would have been a rough penalty call. Rodriguez had a strong touch in the box where it looked like Naeher was always getting the ball.
Kansas City couldn’t send their home support home happy. Without midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta and defender Kristen Edmond, Chicago headed back to Illinois with their first victory in 2021, across all competitions.
Mallory Pugh Magic
The clear game-changer was US international forward Pugh. After going through years of injury-induced absences from play, she showed her potential without scoring a goal. Chicago took their time getting her into matches, starting her off slowly in the Challenge Cup. While her substitute minutes were based on rest with three matches in seven days, she exposed the Kansas City defense right away. Dames brought up not just her performance, but an international snub.
“I was surprised Mal was left off the camp roster,” said Dames about her not on the June friendly list for the US Women’s National Team. “I think that was a mistake.” About her current form, Dames said: “She’s only going to keep getting better. She’s at maybe 70% of what she’s capable of. The sky’s the ceiling for her.”
That bodes well for a team that has been looking for consistent goalscoring since the end of the 2019 season.
What’s Next
Chicago and Kansas City both have weekend matches. Kansas City travels to first-place Orlando on Sunday, May 30. Chicago is heading to Houston, for a match against the Dash, on Saturday, May 29.
Follow Beyond Women’s Sports all season for more NWSL coverage and league power rankings. And follow me on Twitter @1ThomasCostello.
