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Bay FC’s struggles continue with loss to Chicago

SAN JOSE – Bay FC scored the quickest goal in its short history, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a still-leaky defense as the expansion team lost to Chicago Red Stars 2-1 Sunday at PayPal Park.

It was the second home loss in five days for Bay FC (2-6-0, 6 points), who lost 3-2 to Portland on Wednesday. Bay FC has allowed 19 goals this season, four more than anyone else in the 14-team league.

“This is a long season, and that’s so important for our young players to hear,” forward Tess Boade said. “Losing sucks. We have a couple in a row that we’ve lost, where maybe on paper we shouldn’t have lost. We’re getting better with each game, even if the results aren’t flipping yet. But it’s going to come.”

Rachael Kundananji, who came to Bay FC for a record-setting women’s soccer transfer fee of $788,000, did not play Sunday after tweaking her calf in training Saturday, and Ghanian national Asisat Oshoala was out with a hamstring injury. The offense stalled without Kundananji and Oshoala as Bay FC had just nine shots (four on goal) after recording 15 or more shots in five straight matches, and its only goal came on a defensive play.

Bay FC scored in the eighth minute as a result of a surprising mistake by Chicago keeper Alyssa Naeher, who started for the U.S. when the Americans won the 2019 Women’s World Cup by shutting out the Netherlands in the final.

Naeher attempted to pass to her fullback but instead hit it right at charging forward Tess Boade, who had turned around to avoid having the ball hit her in the face. Instead, the ball deflected off Boade’s back into the net to give Bay FC the early lead.

Boade, who was acquired in the Expansion Draft, became the fifth Bay FC player to score two goals this season – matching the Washington Spirit for most players with multiple goals.

But if Bay FC had shown anything in its inaugural season, one goal wouldn’t be enough to get a victory. The team had allowed 17 goals in its previous six games, and a defensive breakdown allowed Chicago (4-3-1, 13 points) to tie it in the 30th minute.

Bay FC keeper Katelyn Rowland hesitated to catch a long ball by Chicago centerback Sam Staab. Instead, the ball went to Red Stars forward Penelope Hocking, who got behind Jen Beattie and was kept onside by Bay FC’s other centerback, Kayla Sharples.

With Rowland now out of position, Hocking slotted the ball into the net from 20 yards out.

The score remained tied until the 63rd minute, when Bay FC forward Princess turned the ball over deep in her own end. The initial shot by Jameese Joseph was blocked by Bay FC midfielder Jamie Shepherd, but the deflection went to Ally Schlegel, who scored from just outside the top of the box.

Chicago threatened to double its lead when Hocking was tripped by Sharples in the box and a penalty kick was awarded after a lengthy VAR review. But Rowland made up for her earlier mistake by saving the ensuing penalty kick by U.S. Women’s National Team veteran Mallory Swanson in the 81st minute.

“The fan support is unreal,” Rowland said. “It was the 98th minute and I couldn’t even hear my thoughts, they were screaming our name so loud. So that’s what pushes us and I’m ready to start getting some results for them.”

Sharples was drafted by the Red Stars in 2019 and started 11 games for them last season.

Bay FC turned up the pressure in the final minutes, but a shot by sub Deyna Castellanos from 12 yards out went just wide in the 90th minute, leaving Bay FC 12th in the standings. The top eight teams make the playoffs after a 26-game regular season.

Midfielder Caroline Conti, a third-round pick from Clemson, made her first professional start.

Bay FC visits Orlando on Saturday before returning home May 17 against San Diego.