NWSL News

Chicago Red Stars End Summer Cup with a Win Over Washington Spirit 2-3

Chicago Red Stars Sign Brazilian National Julia Bianchi

July 31, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Red Stars News Release

RICHMOND, VA – The Chicago Red Stars closed out the National Women’s Soccer League X Liga MX Summer Cup with a win over the Washington Spirit by a score of 2-3. Forwards Jenna Bike and Jameese Joseph scored the team’s first two goals and Naperville-native, Sarah Griffith, sealed the win with a goal from outside the box.

KEY MOMENTS:

20′ A pinball machine in the Spirit box! Chicago midfielder Cari Roccaro narrowly finds Hannah Anderson’s feet inside Spirit’s crowded 18-yard box. With one touch, Anderson finds Leillani Nesbeth, who fires the ball towards goal, but Spirit goalkeeper, Nicole Barnhart, springs to block the shot.

21′ Chicago’s Taylor Malham launches the ball forward from distance towards the Red Stars attack inside Spirit’s 18-yard-box,. but Washington keeper Barnhart leaps in to grab the ball and shut down the play

25′ Washington Spirit’s Ouleymata Sarr creates a through ball for a charging Makenna Morris, who taps the ball inside Chicago’s 18-yard box. Chicago goalkeeper Mackenzie Wood charges forward, sliding and covering the ball to keep Spirit off the board.

29′ Washington’s Chloe Ricketts carries the ball downfield, passing to Lena Silano, who redirects the ball to teammate Andy Sullivan. Sullivan cuts back on a Chicago defender and lofts the ball just over Chicago’s crossbar.

45+3′ Red Star Jameese Joseph dances around two defenders inside Spirit’s 18-yard box and sends a low ball towards goal. Joseph’s shot is blocked with an initial kick save, but a sprinting Jenna Bike follows through on the shot before Washington’s Barnhart can recover. Bike’s second-chance shot finds the back of the net, giving Chicago a late lead just before halftime. 0-1 Chicago

47′ Morris runs at Chicago’s back line and slips the ball to Silano, looking to penetrate, but Wood aggressively smothers the ball and ends Spirit’s attack.

53′ A foul in the box on Ouleymata Sarr earns a penalty kick for the spirit

55′ Andi Sullivan takes a penalty kick, and while Chicago’s Mackenzie Wood reacts quickly, the ball is placed just out of the keeper’s reach tying the match, 1-1

60′ Chicago’s Shea Groom sends a perfectly weighted through ball to a dashing Joseph who leaves two defenders in her wake. Jospeh is calm on the ball and glides a low shot into the net, taking back Chicago’s lead 1-2

83′ Spirit’s Courtney Brown carries the ball down the right wing. Her cross is blocked in the box, but the ball…

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