SANDY, Utah (Saturday, April 14, 2018) – Utah Royals FC (0-1-2, 2 points) celebrated the club’s first ever home match in an all-day event in front of a standing room only crowd of 19,203 at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday. The festive day included pregame and postgame concerts, players from Real Salt Lake and Real Monarchs in attendance and a commemoration with Women In Sports and Events, as the National Women’s Soccer League’s newest club opened the 2018 home schedule with a 1-0 defeat to the Chicago Red Stars.
Utah outshot Chicago 13-10, but forced only one save out of Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher as the newly-founded club seeks its first win. FW Amy Rodriguez made her Utah Royals FC debut when she came on as a late substitute, returning to action 363 days after tearing her ACL in the 2017 NWSL opener for FC Kansas City.
In a balanced first half that saw both teams attempt five shots, the only shot on goal found the back of the net for the Chicago Red Stars. After a ball was crossed in from the right side, DF Rachel Corsie’s headed clearance fell to Danielle Colaprico just outside the box. She hit a wondrous volley that found the top corner of the net to make it 1-0 in the 27th minute.
In the second half, Utah went on the offensive while Chicago clung to the lead, but Royals FC wasn’t able to threaten the Red Stars goal and the match ended with the 1-0 final score.
UP NEXT: Royals FC returns to the road for the third time in the club’s first four matches, taking on the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, April 21 at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
CHI: Danielle Colaprico, 27th minute – After a cross from the right, Rachel Corsie won the header to knock it out of the box. However, it took a Chicago bounce and Daniell Colaprico smashed a volley into the top corner for the first goal of the match and a 1-0 lead.
KEY SAVES AND DEFENSIVE STOPS:
UTA: Rachel Corsie, 22nd minute – Yuki Nagasato got into the box and cut to her left foot for a shot from 15 yards out. Her initial effort hit the post and bounced back across the goal mouth, where Rachel Corsie collected and cleared it.
UTA: Lo’eau LaBonta, 48th minute – Off a Chicago corner kick, the Red Stars put a header on frame, but Lo’eau LaBonta was at the post to make the goal-line clearance.
NOTES:
- FW Amy Rodriguez subbed on in the 77th minute for her first appearance with URFC, returning to the field after a 363-day absence when she tore her ACL in the 2017 NWSL season opener with FC Kansas City.
- The attendance of 19,203 was the second-largest non-Portland crowd in NWSL history. It was also the second-largest in Utah women’s soccer history.
Match: Utah Royals FC vs Chicago Red Stars
Date: April 14, 2018
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Attendance: 19,203
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 58
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Utah Royals FC 0 0 0
Chicago Red Stars 1 0 1
CHI: Danielle Colaprico 27’
Lineups:
Utah Royals FC (4-3-3): Abby Smith; Kelley O’Hara (Sydney Miramontez 46’), Becky Sauerbrunn, Rachel Corsie, Brooke Elby; Katie Bowen, Gunny Jónsdóttir, Desire Scott; Lo’eau Labonta (Erika Tymrak 63’), Elise Thorsness, Diana Matheson (Amy Rodriguez 77’).
Subs not used: Nicole Barnhart, Taylor Lytle, Katie Stengel, Brittany Ratcliffe.
Chicago Red Stars: (4-1-4-1): Alyssa Naeher; Taylor Comeau, Katie Naughton, Sam Johnson, Arin Gilliland; Nikki Stanton; Alyssa Mautz (Summer Green 80’), Sofia Huerta, Danielle Colaprico, Michelle Vasconcelos; Yuki Nagasato (Stephanie McCaffrey 91+’).
Subs not used: Lauren Kaskie, Emily Boyd, Erin Yenney, Sarah Gorden
Stats Summary: UTA / CHI
Shots: 13 / 10
Shots on Goal: 1 / 2
Saves: 1 / 1
Corner Kicks: 3 / 4
Fouls: 10 / 6
Offside: 6 / 1
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
None.
