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
Red Stars’ Tatumn Milazzo has top Save of the Week
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Tatumn Milazzo called her achievement “funny.” The Chicago Red Stars defender and Orland Park native was awarded the NWSL’s Save of the Week after chasing down a ball in a loss to Angel City on April 13. The Save of the Week usually goes to a goalie. Milazzo laughed…
Men’s College Volleyball | Saint Xavier captures fifth straight conference tourney title
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The SXU men’s volleyball team won its fifth straight Chicagoland Christian Athletic Conference tournament championship after a 25-16, 25-17, 25-22 sweep of Calumet College of St. Joseph on April 20 at the Shannon Center. Jan Lopuch had 10 kills and nine digs for the Cougars. With the win, the…
College Baseball | Saint Xavier upsets Eastern Illinois
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier baseball team picked up a win that its players are going to remember for a long time. The Cougars stunned Eastern Illinois, 4-2, on April 17 in Charleston. It was the Cougars’ first win over the Panthers, a Division I program, since 2005. Lyons grad Troy…
St. Laurence hoops teams top honor roll
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Area basketball teams proved to be strong on the court and in the classroom this season, and St. Laurence was the leader of the pack. The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association compiled a list of the top academic teams, and the area did well. In Division 3 girls, St. Laurence…
Chicago Bears recognize St. Rita senior with All-Star award
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Chances are good that few outside of St. Rita football circles know who David Lyle is. With good reason. Lyle missed his senior season for the Mustangs last fall after sustaining a serious knee injury. He even postponed having knee surgery so that he could take care of his…
Pols want 63rd St. armory for new police HQ
Spread the love. Porfirio, Guerrero-Cuellar push plan in Springfield . By Tim Hadac Any plans the Chicago Department of Aviation may have had for the vacant Army National Guard Midway Armory, 5400 W. 63rd St., may be grounded, at least for now. Several elected officials are eyeing the parcel as the headquarters of a new…
Her back against the wall, Stacy needs help
Spread the love. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound (708)-496-0265 . Clearing and Garfield Ridge have earned a reputation as a place where people look out for each other—and that sometimes means caring for each other in times of need. Today, I want to talk about one such person, who sure could use…
It’s (pizza) party time at OLS
Spread the love. Third graders at Our Lady of the Snows School break into cheers as they learn they’ve won a pizza party for selling more raffle booklets than any other class. The recent Grand Raffle fundraiser brought in about $6,000. Parents looking for a grade school for their sons and daughters for 2024-25 are…
Dart wants free mental health care for first responders
Spread the love. From staff reports The Illinois Senate has passed legislation proposed by Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart that eliminates out-of-pocket expenses for first responders seeking mental health treatment. “We ask first responders to be constantly exposed to traumatic and dangerous situations to protect us,” Dart said. “This legislation is a solid step…
Neighbors
Softball | Jocelyn Hovanec scores two runs, Ks 12 in Chicago Christian win
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Chicago Christian is working to find its footing in the inaugural season of the Chicagoland Christian Conference. The Knights entered this week 6-8 overall and 4-6 in the CCC, putting them in fifth place with just two conference games to play among their final seven regular-season contests. The Knights…
Boys Volleyball | Chicago Christian finishes April strong, takes second at Ridgewood Invitational
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent A busy and largely successful final seven days of April saw Chicago Christian briefly climb back to the .500 mark after a tough first month of the season. The Knights (11-12, 4-4 Chicagoland Christian Conference) have won seven of their past 10 matches, all of which were played over…
Work moving forward at Marquette Park
Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . In the March 29 edition of the Greater Southwest News-Herald, I wrote a story about a town hall meeting at Marquette Park, we learned of some of the upcoming plans the Park District has for…
Sophia Smith’s brace sinks Red Stars
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Home has not been that sweet lately for the Chicago Red Stars. The team lost its second straight game at SeatGeek Stadium with a 2-0 setback to Portland in front of an announced crowd of 4,443 on April 27. Portland star Sophia Smith scored in the 10th and 26th…
Nazareth Academy celebrates ‘special talent’ J.J. McCarthy in NFL Draft
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Dennis Moran has no doubts that J.J. McCarthy – the former Nazareth Academy quarterback who is now with the Minnesota Vikings – will succeed in the National Football League. Moran was among about 60 or so Nazareth Academy fans, friends and coaches who gathered Thursday night at The Stadium Club…
Brother Rice names Al Perez next soccer coach
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent A few new coaches are dotting the area high school athletic scene. One of the more notable hires was Brother Rice bringing Al Perez aboard as the soccer coach. Perez led Chicago Public League power Washington to a Class 2A state championship in 2013, a fourth-place finish in 2015…
Police Council rallies to save ShotSpotter
Spread the love. By Alexis Bocanegra Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (773) 949-1509 • grcl.alex23@gmail.com . Chicago Lawn (8th) District Police Council members Mark Hamberlin, Al Cacciottolo and Jason Huff have created an online petition to save ShotSpotter. As you may have read in the Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound back in March, Mayor…
Capacity crowd speaks out against Evergreen Park dispensary
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Additional chairs had to be brought out to seat an overflow crowd of Evergreen Park residents who attended a meeting April 15 regarding a proposed cannabis dispensary for the village. And many who were in attendance voiced their opposition to having a dispensary in Evergreen Park. Most of the people cited…
Countryside puts dog park on hold, will require leashes in two parks
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The city of Countryside has put on hold building a dog park, but canines and their owners are still in store for a treat. The city council has unanimously approved a plan to permit dogs in City Park and Countryside Park this year. Previously, they were not allowed in the…