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Soccer Sat Aug 28 2010
Red Stars Push for the Playoffs
As the sports cliché goes, "It's not how you start, it's how you finish." Maybe somebody should have told the Chicago Red Stars that.
With the Red Stars' latest stumble, a 3-2 defeat to the hands (legs?) of FC Gold Pride last Sunday, the team is 1-6-1 over its past eight matches. While they are not mathematically eliminated from the postseason just yet, their chances to lock up the fourth and final playoff spot are less than stellar.
The Red Stars (5-11-6) are currently in sixth place in the WPS standings with 21 points, four behind the Washington Freedom and Sky Blue FC for that coveted fourth spot. But while Washington and Sky Blue still have three and four regular-season games to play, respectively, the Red Stars only have two.
Omid Namazi's squad will need to win its remaining two games to even have a remote chance at advancing to the postseason for the first time in team history. And even if the Red Stars win their final two games, they will have to rely on the Freedom and Sky Blue to hit a few speed bumps along the way.
The Red Stars' first test comes against the Philadelphia Independence, who visits Toyota Park on Wednesday, Sept. 1. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.
