Fury Lose to Chicago 2-1, Second Loss of the Season

Added by Steven Farkas on June 10, 2012.

The New York Fury dropped the first of their two road games this weekend to Chicago 2-1.  They drop to 3-2-1, while Chicago improves to 4-0 and remains the only unbeaten team in the WPSL Elite League.

Goals by Alyssa Mautz and Michele Weissenhofer gave the Red Stars a 2-0 lead.  Weissenhofer set up the first goal, with a cross that glanced off the head of Lauren Fowlkes.  Mautz was there for the tap-in in the 26th minute.  Weissenhofer then got a goal of her own in the 68th minute, taking possession of a Fury goal kick and going straight to goal.  Two critical mistakes by the Fury that helped the Red Stars get the lead, and put the Fury in a position which they could not recover from.

“Not a great performance,” said Fury head coach Paul Riley. “Chicago created more chances. In the first 20 minutes, we created two top-notched chances, but couldn’t finish.”

The Fury were able to get a goal in the 85^th minute with a score by second-half sub Claire Zimmeck.  But it was simply too little too late for the New York squad.  Kim Yokers, who had a two-goal game against Philadelphia last week, sent a cross into the area that Chicago goalkeeper Jamie Forbes dropped, and Zimmeck finished off. It was the first goal the Red Stars have allowed all season.

“Zimmeck is good around the net,” Riley said of the former William & Mary forward.  “All the focus goes to Sunday.  Hopefully we can come back from this trip with some points.”

The Fury now head to Indiana to play the yet to win FC Indiana squad.  They should be able to grab three points from this game, but they will need to keep from making similar mistakes and handing  FC Indiana their first win, which may lead to the Fury finding themselves below fourth place in the standings and outside of the playoffs midway through the season.