Chicago Red Stars forward and University of Illinois All-American Ella Masar is headed to Augsburg, Germany, as she joins the U.S. Women's National Team for the squad's Oct. 29 match against defending FIFA World Cup champion Germany. However, the U.S. WNT loses another Red Star with midfielder Megan Rapinoe undergoing knee surgery Friday. Click to continue reading...

Red Stars midfielder to face Germany on Oct. 29
Chicago Red Stars midfielder Megan Rapinoe was one of 18 players named to the U.S. Women's National Team on Monday for the team's Oct. 29 match against Germany.
This year she has played in all seven of the U.S.'s international matches, posting two goals, an assist and a team-high five points. Click to continue reading...

Defender Brittany Bock, 22, received her first call-up to the U.S. Women's National Team today in the wake of a 12-day camp at Home Depot Center and ahead of the Oct. 29 game against Germany.

She was an integral part of the Sol's defense last season.

Also named to the roster were Torrance's Shannon Boxx of the Sol and USC product Amy Rodriguez.

Click to continue reading...

On Monday the Chicago Red Stars of Women's Professional Soccer exercised the 2010 contract options for nine players: Marian Dalmy, Ifeoma Dieke, Chioma Igwe, Carolina Jonsson, Brittany Klein, Ella Masar, Jill Oakes, Megan Rapinoe and Natalie Spilger.
With Karen Carney, Kate Markgraf and Lindsay Tarpley also under contract, the team currently returns 12 players from this past season's squad. Click to continue reading...

The best of the best in Women's Pro Soccer will compete against Umea IK in Sunday's WPS All-Star Game.

Umeå is the top team in Damallsvenskan (Swedish premier division) and has won seven Swedish championships in the last four seasons (2005-2008). In 2007 and 2008 Umeå finished runner-up in the UEFA Women's Cup with Marta on its roster for the five years before she joined the WPS.

Click to continue reading...

The Chicago Red Stars' Cristiane, Brittany Klein and Megan Rapinoe are participating in Sunday's first-ever Women's Professional Soccer All-Star Game at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo. I'm on the road covering the festivities. Check out these links to my Chicago Sports Examiner page at Examiner. Click to continue reading...

Final shots for the day:

*Sol defenders Brittany Bock and Stephanie Cox and midfielder Shannon Boxx were among 26 players called into Pia Sundhage's 12-day USWNT camp that begins Sept. 21 at Home Depot Center. Bock gets her second call-up of the year after also making the U.S. roster for the May 25 game against Canada in Toronto she was forced to miss after suffering a heel injury in training the day before.

Click to continue reading...

Chicago midfielder, along with Lloyd and Rapinoe, to train with squad
On Tuesday, three players from the Chicago Red Stars were named to the U.S. Women's National Team's training session running from Sept. 21 to Oct. 2.
Red Stars midfielder Brittany Klein (pictured) joins the team with the hopes of earning her first international camp. Click to continue reading...

Cristiane, Rapinoe, Klein join lineup for Aug. 30 festivities in St. Louis
Three Chicago Red Stars players will represent the organization during the first-ever Women's Professional Soccer All-Star Game on Aug. 30.
Brazilian forward Cristiane and midfielders Brittany Klein and Megan Rapinoe will be part of the match, which features a collection of WPS All-Stars against Swedish champions Umea IK. Click to continue reading...

With an 8 p.m. ET kickoff tonight (Live on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Espanol), the U.S. players have about 10 hours to kill before leaving for the match. That's a long time to wait for a soccer player anxious to play a game. What do the U.S. players do all day? Not surprisingly, most just chill. Click to continue reading...

Hanks' stoppage-time goal dooms Chicago
The Chicago Red Stars' playoff hopes for their inaugural Women's Professional Soccer campaign hit an all-time low Sunday. Sky Blue FC's Kerri Hanks scored in second-half stoppage time en route to a 1-0 victory over Chicago at Yurcak Stadium in Piscataway, N. Click to continue reading...

One year and three days after breaking her leg in the final U.S. tuneup game before the Olympics, Abby Wambach scored her 100th international goal in the 1-0 U.S. win over Canada Sunday in Rochester, N.Y.

It was Wambach's first U.S. goal since the injury. Forward Lauren Cheney, 21, who replaced Wambach on the Olympic roster, came into the game in the 63rd minute and set up the historic goal 15 minutes later.

Click to continue reading...

The regular-season countdown is now at four games. This is not a bad time to regularly repeat the "must-win" motto as the Chicago Red Stars stand on the outside of the Women's Professional Soccer playoff race.
Chicago (4-7-5) stays out on the road to take on Sky Blue FC (5-6-4) at 3:30 p.m. Click to continue reading...

Boston ends Chicago's two-game winning streak
The Chicago Red Stars suffered a setback in their quest to reach the playoffs, falling to the Boston Breakers, 1-0, in Women's Professional Soccer play Wednesday at Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Mass.
Chicago (4-7-5) had a huge 21-11 shots advantage, but the Breakers (6-6-3) held the edge on goal, with the game's lone tally coming from Angela Hucles in the 35th minute. Click to continue reading...

Cristiane nets first hat trick in WPS history
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - Momentum has been difficult to find for the Chicago Red Stars in their Women's Professional Soccer debut. And with a road trip and some key absences on the horizon, a victory Sunday was of the essence.
Thankfully for the Red Stars, Brazilian sensation Cristiane is heating up with her play making abilities, and she did so in a big way with the first hat trick in WPS history as Chicago earned its second straight win, defeating FC Gold Pride, 3-1, at Toyota Park. Click to continue reading...

Chicago tries to continue climb in WPS standings
Just getting a victory was the hardest part, putting an end to a month-long drought for the Chicago Red Stars. Now that they have a well-played game to latch onto, they head into Sunday's match against FC Gold Pride with some confidence.
Chicago's Women's Professional Soccer game starts at 7 p. Click to continue reading...

Lloyd, Rapinoe, Tarpley join U.S. for 2 friendlies; Carney joins England
The Chicago Red Stars' Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe and Lindsay Tarpley were named to the U.S. Women's National Team roster on Monday for two friendlies against Canada later this month. Also, Karen Carney will join England for two games against Iceland and Denmark. Click to continue reading...

Chicago drops 2nd straight and 4th straight at home
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - The Chicago Red Stars are in last place in Women's Professional Soccer. And coach Emma Hayes was pretty dramatic with her starting lineup choices.
On the bench: Brazilian forward Cristiane, midfielder Megan Rapinoe and midfielder Carli Lloyd. Click to continue reading...

Chicago's late lead short-lived; team settles for draw in L.A.
The Chicago Red Stars rode a tidal wave of swings during Wednesday's Women's Professional Soccer match against the league-leading Los Angeles Sol. It went from survival on the defensive side, to a clutch goal and lead with several minutes remaining, to allowing a heartbreaking equalizer. Click to continue reading...

TORONTO, Canada (May 25, 2009) – The U.S. Women's National Team scored twice in each half, with goals from Shannon Boxx, Megan Rapinoe, Lindsay Tarpley and youngster Lauren Cheney to defeat Canada 4-0 earlier this week. The match marked the U.S. Women's team first game in Canada since 2001. The Americans and Canadians will play twice [. Click to continue reading...

The U.S. Women's National Team scored twice in each half, getting goals from four different players to defeat Canada 4-0 in front of 10,255 fans at Toronto's BMO Field. It was the USA's first match in Canada since 2001. Midfielder Shannon Boxx opened the scoring just 93 seconds into the match and midfielder Megan Rapinoe added a second just before the halftime. Click to continue reading...

TORONTO, Canada (May 25, 2009) – The U.S. Women's National Team scored twice in each half, getting goals from four different players to defeat Canada 4-0 in front of 10,255 fans at BMO Field. It was the USA's first match in Canada since 2001.

Midfielder Shannon Boxx opened the scoring just 93 seconds into the match and midfielder Megan Rapinoe added a second just before the halftime.

Click to continue reading...

Chicago drops third straight; Lloyd injures knee in WNT training
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - Typically, one shot does not add up to two goals. But that is what the Chicago Red Stars surrendered to St. Louis Athletica on Saturday.
A couple of unfortunate defensive circumstances cost the Red Stars late in the first half as St. Click to continue reading...

By CHRISTA MANN

The Weekend should be interesting in Women's Pro Soccer since players from all seven teams will be on leave with either the U.S. or Canadian national teams. The game between these two North American countries will not take place until Monday, May 25; however, quite a few players traveled on Thursday and will miss Week Nine of the WPS.

Click to continue reading...

By CHRISTA MANN

The Weekend should be interesting in Women's Pro Soccer since players from all seven teams will be on leave with either the U.S. or Canadian national teams. The game between these two North American countries will not take place until Monday, May 25; however, quite a few players traveled on Thursday and will miss Week Nine of the WPS.

Click to continue reading...

With 4 out for WNT duty, other Chicago players take on added role
For those of you Chicago Red Stars fans who took advantage of the ticket deal that includes a Lindsay Tarpley Bobblehead, you won't be seeing the actual player on the field. Or three others for that matter this Saturday.
Midfielders Tarpley, Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd, and defender Marian Dalmy are training with the Women's National Team for an exhibition against Canada two days later. Click to continue reading...

The U.S. team trained far from its hotel this afternoon and in rush hour traffic, it took over an hour to get to the field. While the trip back wasn't nearly as long, as the bus pulled into downtown Toronto, the players were famished and Megan Rapinoe commented that she was hungry enough to "eat my arm. Click to continue reading...

Amy LePeilbet and Megan Rapinoe showed up at national team camp with remarkable similar haircuts. Amy's has a bit more reddish tint to it, but both are using the classic pre-wrap hairband to keep the wispies in check. Truth be told, it's not only cute, but very functional for a professional soccer player who is in the sun all the time and constantly sweating. Click to continue reading...

Chicago drops 2nd straight home match
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - Both the Chicago Red Stars and FC Gold Pride were coming off of disappointing shutout losses last week in Women's Professional Soccer play. The Bay Area turned the tide, but Chicago could not break through with a goal.
The Gold Pride topped the Red Stars, 1-0, on Saturday night at Toyota Park, and Chicago (2-2-2) dropped its second straight during a five-game home stand. Click to continue reading...

Red Stars will have full roster for May 23 vs. St. Louis
The Chicago Red Stars received some good news from their perspective. That's not the case if you were hoping to watch the U.S. Women's National Team later this month.
Japan decided to pull out of its two-game set against the U. Click to continue reading...

Chicago vying for second straight home victory
Only a few weeks have passed since the Chicago Red Stars hosted Sky Blue FC. Both Women's Professional Soccer teams are back at it again this Sunday for a 5 p.m. rematch at Toyota Park (televised on Fox Soccer Channel).
The Red Stars (2-0-2) erupted with their best offensive production against the Boston Breakers a couple weeks ago. Click to continue reading...

Locals Bock, LePeilbet also join for May 20, 23 matches vs. Japan
On Wednesday, U.S. Women's National Team head coach Pia Sundhage named her 21-player roster for a two-game international tilt against Japan. The games take place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, and at 5 p. Click to continue reading...

No Phillies game last night - and the Red Sox got pounded. Love the Sox, but Josh Beckett? Not so much. If games like last night taught him some humility, I'd come around. But most likely, it'll just sharpen his already nasty, cocky edge. You're a dink ... and thinking about you is just getting my morning off to a bad start!

Click to continue reading...

Chicago leapfrogs Boston for 2nd in WPS standings
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - Chicago Red Stars fans were waiting for their home team to light up the scoreboard. The offense was in full effect Saturday night at Toyota Park with the most dominating offensive display so far in Women's Professional Soccer. Click to continue reading...

                                                                    Photo by ISIphotos.com

By CHRISTA MANN

As Women's Professional Soccer approaches its fifth week of play, the quality of finishing is a main concern for at least four of the six competing teams .

Click to continue reading...