By Amelia Hirtle
First Half
The start of the game saw lots of transition from both teams. Chicago had a few chances to score from Mallory Pugh and Kealia Watt, but both were unable to find the back of the net. Houston was able to score in transition in the 22nd on a ball sent in from Kristie Mewis. The ball found Rachel Daly who beat defender Tierna Davidson to the spot, and she was able to score.
Second Half
Chicago got off to a hot start and almost scored within the opening minutes of the second half, but the Houston keeper made some key saves in net. In the 68th minute the Red Stars also took off Johnson for Colaprico. As the half moved on, the Red Stars were able to increase their pressure on the Houston backline. Mal Pugh was awarded a free kick for her team right outside the box. Colaprico took the shot, and it was initially saved by Campbell, but Casey Krueger used her head to put the ball in the net to tie it. The match ended in a 1-1 tie, with both teams earning 1 point in the standings.
Post-Game
After the game, I spoke briefly with Casey Krueger and Danielle Colaprico about the resiliency of the team after going down 1-0 but fighting to equalize late in the game. Krueger said that she thought the team came out flat and looked tired, but they were able to adjust in the second half which led to the goal. Colaprico said it was “something about being a Red Star and never giving up” and that resiliency really showed up tonight. She also noted that at half-time, the team spoke about putting more pressure on Houston and playing in their half that led to the equalizer.
The Final Push
For Chicago, the final push towards the playoffs will begin with the Portland Thorns at home on September 25th at 7:00 PM CT (8:00 PM ET). They will also meet up with OL Reign, Kansas City, and Orlando Pride twice. Three of the four teams that the Red Stars will see are all vying for a playoff spot.
Currently, Chicago sits right behind OL Reign in 4th place with 26 points. However, with the forfeit of the Washington Spiritgame, the Reign have been awarded 3 points and will be tied with Portland in the standings temporarily.
A Well-Deserved Break
After this weekend, the NWSL will go on a break for the international FIFA window. Casey Krueger, Mallory Pugh, and Tierna Davidson will join the USWNT for two friendlies against Paraguay in Ohio. Alyssa Naeher and Julie Ertz will not feature in those matches due to injury, however Naeher will travel with the national team to be evaluated and to rehab her injury sustained in Tokyo. NWSL matches will resume on Saturday September 25th.