Chicago Dutch Lions FC (3-2-2) played the Chicago derby last night vs Chicago City SC and picked up a point (1-1). A victory against the Chicago City Soccer Club would have given the Dutch Lions FC six-straight points and some ground in the Lake Michigan Conference facing league leaders Chicago Red Stars Reserves next Wednesday July 7.
A late start time of 8:30 p.m. saw the game get off to a slow start before Chicago City SC flipped the narrative and scored the game’s opening goal early in the first half. From then on, both teams traded scoring chances, but stoppages of play prevented the flow of the game from becoming another memorable classic for CDL FC. Katharine Stephens tailed the Lions only goal just before the end of the first-half as the match was now deadlocked at one apiece entering the halftime break. Both teams nearly capitalized on go-ahead goals, but Mika Fisher’s saves kept the Lions afloat.
The second half began with more of the same from both sides. Both goalkeepers stood tall and maintained a near flawless performance in front of a mixed crowd of Dutch Lions FC and Chicago City SC fans. In the final seconds the Lions had a great opportunity to take the win when Abbey Hillman's shot-on-goal attempt was blocked leaving the score 1-1.
Nikhil Erlebach wanted to see his squad finish with a six-point road trip but recognizes that not every match is one in the same. “I’m just happy that we ended the game on the front foot,” Erlebach said. “We were close to the winning goal. I think in the second half, with the exception of the first few minutes, we were the dominant team. The feeling is kind of bleak. We had two point lost, but at the end of the day, we’re okay going home with one point.”
CDL FC will wrap-up its 2021 home schedule against the Chicago Red Stars Reserves July 7 at 6 p.m., in what hopes to be the largest crowd at Benedictine University this regular season. A victory would put the Lions at 14 points entering its final two matches of the season. The Red Stars Reserves currently have 15 points and are 5-0-1 with a game in hand vs the Lions.