Fire face tough road test at Galaxy

Marco Pappa -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire return to The Home Depot Center for a second straight week, but this time around they face the team that has dominated in that stadium this season -- the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The Fire and Galaxy square off Saturday, and Chicago (2-4-12) is coming off a 1-1 draw against Chivas USA the previous week. The Galaxy enters the weekend in first place in the Western Conference with a 9-2-9 record, posting an impressive and unbeaten home mark at 4-0-5.

"It's a different game than the Chivas game," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "We know the field. It's a little bigger field than ours [at Toyota Park], as far as the length of it. It's probably the biggest in the league, if I'm not mistaken. It's good that we played on it, but we have to play a better game than the last one."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Red Stars look to clinch division title

Julie Ewing -- Chicago Red Stars

Chicago Red Stars Communications

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Red Stars are in the driver's seat of the Women's Premier Soccer League's Midwest-North Division, and they potentially can clinch a division crown this weekend.

Chicago hosts Minnesota Kings FC at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex in Lisle, Ill. Tickets are only $10 for general admission seating. For tickets and more information about the Red Stars, visit www.ChicagoRedStars.com. The match includes a live webcast, which will be accessible through www.RedStarsGear.com.

Sunday's match potentially represents the Red Stars' division clincher, and it would take place against the only team that has defeated Chicago this season. Host Minnesota edged the Red Stars, 1-0, on June 1, but Chicago has posted a six-game winning streak since then, outscoring its opponents 21-3 during this stretch to take the Midwest-North lead.

"The team is just starting to hit its stride," Red Stars Head Coach Rory Dames said. "Our best soccer is still ahead of us."

CLICK HERE to read the full Red Stars press release.

Patch.com: Chicago Red Stars welcome Weissenhofer home

Michele Weissenhofer -- Chicago Red Stars

By Paul Johnson
Patch.com

Neuqua Valley graduate Michele Weissenhofer has seen soccer take her around the country and around the globe, since leaving the Wildcats in 2005.

Weissenhofer starred at Notre Dame for four years, spent time with the U.S. U-21 national team and even played soccer professionally in Germany.

Now Weissenhofer is back home, playing with the Chicago Red Stars of the Women’s Premier Soccer League. Weissenhofer and the Red Stars play the second of two dates at Benedictine University in Lisle on Sunday at 6 p.m. against the Minnesota Kings FC.

“It’s been really fun, actually,” Weissenhofer said. “We have a great bunch of girls on the team. I think that’s a lot of it. I think everyone gets along well. We have some older players and some young players, but we mesh really well still. We just continue to get better.”

Read more at Patch.com.

Red Stars' Cinalli earns WPSL honors

Amanda Cinalli -- Chicago Red Stars

Chicago Red Stars Communications

CHICAGO -- Chicago Red Stars midfielder Amanda Cinalli (Cleveland, Ohio) was named Co-Women's Premier Soccer League Player of the Week along with FC Dallas' Teresa Eamma. Cinalli had five goals over the team's four-game stretch from June 29 to July 3, scoring in three of those matches to help catapult Chicago into first place in the Midwest-North Division.

The University of Notre Dame alumna had a two-goal performance during a 4-0 win over the Madison 56ers on June 29, a two-goal effort in a 5-0 win over the Iowa Rush on July 2, and had the opening goal and game-winner during a 3-0 victory over Eclipse Select on July 3.

Cinalli and Red Stars defender Jackie Santacaterina (Geneva, Ill.) were named to the WPSL Team of the Week VIII. Santacaterina, a University of Illinois alumna, scored a goal during the Red Stars' win over Iowa and anchored Chicago's defensive line, which allowed only two goals over its four-game stretch.

Read more at WPSL.info.

Ghanaian Oduro finds 'mojo' with Fire

Dominic Oduro -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- There is no dispute that Ghanaian forward Dominic Oduro is currently the Chicago Fire's hottest offensive threat.

While Chicago has struggled in the scoring column, Oduro has netted four of his five goals over the Fire's past nine matches (Chicago only has seven goals during this stretch). Oduro is tied for the team scoring lead with midfielder Marco Pappa, and Oduro's goal total also equals a season high.

But there lies a dichotomy in that Oduro's scoring rate could -- or should -- be better. Oduro tallied Chicago's lone goal during a 1-1 road draw against Chivas USA last weekend. But Oduro created multiple chances during the first half where he could have added to the Fire's early lead.

"I will guarantee that I'm going to get chances and try as much as possible to get the ball on frame," Oduro said. "It's better for me to get the ball in the right spot, or hopefully for a rebound for one of our midfielders to get the ball into the net. I was beating myself up about that [after the Chivas game]."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Red Stars to webcast July 10 game

Chicago Red Stars Communications

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Red Stars of the Women's Premier Soccer League have renewed a partnership with Ollin Omnimedia to provide a webcast of their July 10 match against Minnesota Kings FC at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex in Lisle, Ill.

The live feed to the match will be accessible through www.RedStarsGear.com.

"Our first priority at the Red Stars is to thrill our fans." said Arnim Whisler, an owner and GM of the Chicago Red Stars. "We have a lot of young familes who cannot always attend our games but really want to see us play. Webcasting is a low cost service to our loyal fans and we will do it as often as we can."

Read more at WPSL.info.

Pattern stays same, Fire draw Chivas

Jalil Anibaba -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

Two-thirds of the Chicago Fire's matches this season have resulted in a draw. So it almost comes without surprise that Chicago netted its fourth straight stalemate against Chivas USA on Saturday at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Perhaps the only variations that the Fire are putting together this year are the types of the draws -- lost leads such as Saturday, a comeback such as the New York Red Bulls, or a scoreless draw, which has occurred on four occasions.

The Fire's 12th draw puts them two shy of tying FC Dallas' record mark of 14. If Chicago (2-4-12) had some victories to show for its efforts, the tone of this pattern might be different. As it stands, though, the draws are a continual sign of mediocrity on the scoreboard and in the Eastern Conference standings.

"Eight games without a defeat, but at the same time we're not winning," Fire forward Dominic Oduro said. "That's something that we have to flip over and try to win games. We're doing well, we're creating chances. But at the same time we have to finish our games."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Red Stars move into 1st in Mid-North

Julie Ewing -- Chicago Red Stars

Chicago Red Stars Communications

LISLE, Ill. -- The Chicago Red Stars moved into first place in the Women's Premier Soccer League's Midwest-North Division with a 5-0 victory over the Iowa Rush on Saturday at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex.

Four different players netted goals for the Red Stars, with Amanda Cinalli (Cleveland, Ohio) leading the way with two tallies. Julie Ewing (Batavia, Ill.) and Jackie Santacaterina (Geneva, Ill.) also registered goals, and Michele Weissenhofer (Naperville, Ill.) had two assists as the Red Stars won their fifth straight and improved to 5-1-0 (15 points).

Chicago moves ahead of FC Milwaukee Nationals (4-2-1, 13 points) in the Midwest-North standings. Iowa falls to 2-5-1 (7 points).

"Our expectations always were to be playing the best that we can be at the end of the year," Red Stars Head Coach Rory Dames said. "If it's good enough to win, then it's good enough to win. If it's not, somebody's going to have to be better than us to beat us."

Read more at WPSL.info.