More frustration as Ireland stops Red Stars

Listening to Red Stars coach Emma Hayes, you get the feeling she's running out of patience.

Sunday's 1-0 loss to the Ireland national team at Benedictine University in Lisle might have been the breaking point.

It was a typical Red Stars game, with plenty of chances to score with no good results.

"It's frustrating, but that's the story of our season," Hayes said. "You get some sort of good fortune and play well, and this is a team that has not been able to sustain it from game to game. As coaches, for us it's frustrating, but it also gives us an indicator of what we need to do to add to this roster so that it does sustain itself day in and day out."

Though her team has six regular-season games remaining on the WPS schedule, Hayes said she's looking toward off-season changes for her fifth-place team.

"We've got very talented players," Hayes added. "But in the first half I thought it took too long to play the ball forward and then not enough movement, and in the second half you get your opportunities and you don't take them."

One bright spot up front was second-half substitute Ella Masar.

"She worked really hard," Hayes said. "She had two good moments. She gave us something we didn't have running off the ball. Ella's going to give us (coaches) some headaches for the starting lineup."

Ireland got its goal in the 40th minute. Diane Caldwell sent a long ball over the top of the Red Stars defense to Aine O'Gorman. The Red Stars appeared to stop, assuming O'Gorman was offsides, but the assistant referee's flag never went up, and O'Gorman chipped onrushing goalkeeper Caroline Jonsson for the lone goal of the game.