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CHICAGO — The match looked like it was over as soon as it began when the Chicago Red Stars scored a goal 17 seconds into Sunday's match against the visiting Utah Royals.
The goal was taken back due to an offside flag, however, and the Royals were forced to wait a little longer for the final blow that decided their third consecutive loss on a 1-7-1 season (Wins-Losses-Draws).
"We're walking away with our last two games not getting results, not getting points," head coach Amy Rodriguez said. "It's always a sweet feeling to steal points on the road. We weren't able to do that in these last two games."
U.S. national team star Mallory Swanson took the game over after a couple of early chances from the Royals came up short, providing an assist on the opening goal in the 23rd minute and then converting a penalty kick for the game-winner in the 29th minute.
Utah head coach Amy Rodriguez said she had never seen a team concede six penalties in seven matches after a loss earlier in the week, and now her team continues to defy the odds with seven in their last eight matches.
BYU soccer alum Cameron Tucker got one back for the Royals in the 81st minute after coming on as a sub at halftime, but Chicago slammed the door shut with a back-breaker in second-half stoppage time to make it 3-1 and seven straight matches without a win for Utah.
Gonna be thinking about this one for a while pic.twitter.com/RE9j2UU0eG
— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) May 13, 2024
"What a cannon. Super, super happy and proud of Cam in that moment. You don't see prettier goals than that," Rodriguez said. "She put us within reach of a game that felt like was ours to begin with, and kind of got us that little bit of lift. I wish she could have done two of them today, but maybe that's asking too much."
The late goal was Tucker's first as a pro and got an assist from fellow BYU alum Michele Vasconcelos.
"I love Murph (Vasconcelos)," Tucker said. "We have gotten to play together a lot, especially in practice and stuff. I just saw her out there and checked underneath and it was a great pass. I'm really grateful for her and that pass she gave me. It was awesome."
The team stays on the road for one more match in North Carolina on Friday, May 17, before returning to Utah on May 25 against Kansas City.
