The Chicago Red Stars were knocked out of the NWSL playoffs by the San Diego Wave 2-1 Sunday night at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.
Alex Morgan scored in extra time for 3rd-seeded Wave, who advanced to a semifinal match against the second-seeded Portland Thorns on Sunday at Providence Park in Portland, Ore.
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The 6th-seeded Red Stars have made the playoffs for seven straight years. They lost in last year’s final 2-1 to the Washington Spirit. The Red Stars also lost the 2019 championship match and the final of pandemic-created Challenge Cup in 2020.
Yūki Nagasato scored for the Red Stars in the 10th minute. It looked like the goal might hold up until Emily van Egmond tied it for the Wave in the 67th minute.
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Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made three saves in regulation, and the Waves’ Kailen Sheridan had four saves. The Red Stars outshot the Wave 21-18 in regulation, and each team had five shots on goal.
In the other first-round match, the Kansas City Current scored in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time to defeat the host Houston Dash 2-1. The fifth-seeded Current will face top seed OL Reign in Seattle in Sunday’s semifinals.
