By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
It took 21 games, but the Chicago Red Stars are finally out of the postseason picture.
For the first time since 2014, the Red Stars failed to make it to the NWSL playoffs. They dropped into last place in the 12-team league after a 6-3 road loss to Kansas City on Oct. 7.
Kayla Sharples and Bianca St-Georges scored for the Red Stars (7-11-3), who also picked up an own-goal.
The defense was missing Tierna Davidson (injury) and Casey Krueger (excused absence).
The Stars’ Cari Roccaro expressed mixed feelings about this season.
“We were at the bottom of the table, and we still had a chance (to make the playoffs) tonight,” she said after the game. “I think that shows how competitive the league was and how competitive we were. Despite having a little bit of a rocky start, we fought through a lot of adversity and we started to put some good performances together toward the end of the season. We had some really, really good results against quality teams.
“That’s something we should be proud of. Being eliminated is sad and disappointing. But to be in it this long considering what we’ve been through, we were hanging in there and sticking together and we should be proud of that, for sure.”
As for the game itself?
Coach Chris Petrucelli said the team looked “tentative” and “disheveled” at times during the match.
Veteran Arin Wright was not pleased.
“There are not many good things to say,” Wright said. “We’re all disappointed with our performance. Everyone could see that we didn’t come ready to play and it showed.”
What’s next?
The Red Stars close out the season at 4 p.m. on Oct. 15 against OL Reign (8-8-5) at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview.
About the only thing on the line for Chicago is getting out of last place. The Stars head into the battle with 24 points and can potentially leapfrog Kansas City (25 points) and Houston (26) for 10th place.
The other importance of this game is how it will affect OL Reign, which is in sixth place with 29 points, one more than Orlando and Los Angeles and two ahead of Louisville. The top six teams go to the playoffs, so this is huge for the team out of Seattle.
Stars bits
• St-Georges scored her second goal in as many games and has four for the season, tying Ella Stevens for the team lead.
• The team scored in five straight league games, which is the most since scoring in eight straight games from Oct. 2, 2022 through May 7, 2023.
• Chicago is worst in the league in goals allowed with 47. But the Red Stars are tied for third with North Carolina and Kansas City in goals scored with 28. The offense has scored in 17 of 21 games, which is second in the league to Portland’s 19.