(UPDATE: 1:27 PM CST 9-28-17)
United States Women’s National Team and Chicago Red Stars forward Christen Press was scheduled to appear tonight at the Good Sports Chicago Legends Gala, an event being held at the Museum of Broadcast Communications, but had to cancel yesterday.
Official representation for the event said that Christen Press would no longer be attending due to “an illness.” Representatives on behalf of Press said that’s incorrect. Player reps indicated that she cannot attend the gala due to USWNT obligations.
Press’s representation assured us that the forward is doing just fine and feeling well.
So no worries there, apparently the event planners had just passed along some bad intel.
The Red Stars clinched a spot in the NWSL Playoffs when they defeated the Houston Dash 3-2 last weekend, and they are currently holders of the #3 seed in the National Women’s Soccer League postseason tournament.
Their opponents, the Portland Thorns, are locked into the #2 seed regardless of the result as they are both five points off the top of the table and five points clear of the Red Stars. Thus, it’s likely Portland will sit some of their starting eleven and probably keep their tactics close to the vest. Should seeding hold through the final weekend, the Thorns and Red Stars would meet again in Portland in the NWSL semi-final round.
The fourth place Orlando Pride are taking will be at the table topping North Carolina Courage, in a match-up of what would be the other semi-final, should seedings hold. However, with Orlando just two points behind the Red Stars for third place, a win, coupled with a Chicago loss moves them one slot ahead of the Red Stars.
Of course, N.C. might be the match-up that Chicago prefers in the post season, instead of Portland, anyway. Chicago is winless against the Thorns, but undefeated against the Courage this campaign. The playoffs are an entirely different animal, and regular season results don’t always accurately predict the postseason, but the Red Stars may or may not prefer slipping into the #4 slot.
On a side note, Press has been playing through an ankle issue all season long..
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now and Minute Media. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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