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Utah Royals FC eliminated from playoffs with 2-1 loss to Chicago

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Royals FC forward Christen Press (23) tries to push past the defense as Utah Royals FC hosts the North Carolina Courage at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Saturday, July 27, 2019.

  | Sep. 29, 2019, 2:06 a.m.
| Updated: 4:03 a.m.

The Utah Royals FC’s playoffs hopes are officially dead.

After conceding a goal and equalizing just two minutes later, the Royals gave up a late goal to the Chicago Red Stars and lost 2-1 on Saturday, officially eliminating them from postseason contention. Since the franchise started last season, it’s missed the playoff each year.

The loss against Chicago was Utah’s fourth straight, and the Royals are now guaranteed to finish with fewer points than last season. Utah concluded 2018 with 35 points, while it can only tally a maximum of 34 this year.

Christen Press scored for the Royals in her return to SeatGeek Stadium since being traded from Chicago to Utah in the middle of last season. It was her first goal since Aug. 17. She took a total of five shots.

Vanessa DiBernardo and Yuki Nagasato scored for the Red Stars, who finished the season 14-8-2 while beating the Royals twice in their three-game series.

On a counterattack in the 85th minute, Red Stars forward and leading scorer Sam Kerr took a shot that was saved by Royals goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart. But Nagasato was right there for the rebound and easily scored. The score was knotted at one goal apiece before that sequence.

The game didn’t get going until the 40th minute, which was when the goals starting flowing more like a river and less like molasses — at least briefly. The Royals attempted to clear a ball out of the box, but it didn’t go far enough. It was fought for, but ended up in the path DiBernardo, who launched it past Barnhart for a 1-0 lead.

That goal lit a fire under the Royals, who went right to work immediately on the equalizer. It only took two minutes for Gunnhildur Jonsdottir to find Christen Press for a header that knotted the score.

Chicago made a point to keep more possession in the opening moments of the second half. But Utah still got its chances. Press and Amy Rodriguez had shots saved by Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

Then Katie Stengel nearly gave Utah the lead in the 68th minute. Her shot from point-blank range with Naeher clear of the goal was cleared off the goal line by Julie Ertz.

Nagasato’s goal sealed it. It was her eighth of the season.

Saturday’s game marked the end of a three-in-seven-days stretch for the Royals. They now have a bye week during an international break and will end their season on Oct. 12 at home against the Houston Dash, who are also eliminated from playoff contention.