Here are three takeaways from the Utah Royals FC’s 2-1 loss to the Chicago Red Stars
1. There’s still one more game to play
The Royals won’t make the playoffs for a second straight season. It’s a disappointing result for the coaches, players and the organization at large, for sure.
But the regular season still isn’t over. Utah still has to play against Houston in a couple of weeks in a game between two teams that won’t make the playoffs.
The Royals have talked all season about their character, their fight, and the grit they’ve showed at times. The Oct. 12 game against the Dash could be a time when they really show it.
It’ll be the final home game of the season. The win-or-go-home pressure will be off. They’ll be playing a a team that has been difficult for them to figure out, having lost both games against Houston so far this season. A win against the Dash might soften the blow for the fans and even for themselves.
2. Christen Press went a little ham in her first return to SeatGeek Stadium as a Royal
In a now-famous transaction, Press came to Utah in the middle of last season via trade from the Red Stars. But until Saturday, she hadn’t visited her old home stadium for a game. World Cup and other International duties are probably to blame for that.
But she took the opportunity to show it against the team that traded her. Press took a total of five shots and scored a goal in her return. And she could’ve had at least one more had certain balls decided to curl just a few inches in the opposite direction.
After the game, she talked to a reporter about what it felt like to be back in SeatGeek Stadium.
3. Remember when the Royals were 3rd in the NWSL?
That was 22 days ago. Less than a month. Sept. 6 to be exact.
It happened when Utah beat Portland 1-0 off a Becky Sauerbrunn goal. It was the fifth game in a row that the Royals hadn’t lost. They had found something and spirits were high around the club.
But just 22 days later, it all fell apart. Now instead of competing for an NWSL championship, the Royals will have to face another offseason looking for answers to some very tough questions. Some that come to mind: Does the roster need an overhaul? Is Laura Harvey the right coach? Does the style of play need to change? How much did the World Cup actually hurt the Royals?
All of the above questions are valid after two disappointing seasons with what is objectively quite a talented team. And rest assured: There will be stories coming soon about what those answers may be, and what questions Utah will be asking of itself.
