Wambach (2 goals) helps end Red Stars' playoff hopes

With their season at stake, the Chicago Red Stars folded.

The Red Stars lost 3-2 to the Washington Freedom on Sunday afternoon at Toyota Park and were officially eliminated from Women's Professional Soccer playoff contention.

"It was an uphill battle even if we won the game today," Red Stars coach Emma Hayes said. "It was an outside chance. I think for us as a team from this point on we'll make sure we put in good performances for our fans and start the rebuilding process going into next season to make sure we have the vital pieces that are going to push this team on."

The sixth-place Red Stars (4-9-5, 17 points) opened the game well, going up a goal in the 15th minute on Megan Rapinoe's strike.

"We started out relatively OK," Hayes said, "but after the first goal we were very flat. We looked quite tired. The heat seemed to drain quite us a bit. We struggled to retain the ball, and equally struggled to transition when we lost it to defend well."

Washington forward Abby Wambach used her size to bull her way to 2 goals, and she could feel the Red Stars losing confidence.

"I wouldn't say letting down, but you could also tell that there was a little sense of, 'Oh, no. We're on the ropes, this-could-be-the-end-of-our-season sort of feel,' " Wambach said. "As an opposing team we wanted to take advantage as much as we could of that."

The Red Stars tied it at 2-2 on a Karen Carney goal in the 69th minute but couldn't build any momentum.

In the 89th minute, Washington's Allie Long dribbled through three defenders to go 1-on-1 with goalkeeper Caroline Jonsson, who did very well to allow only 3 goals.

"I didn't think the back four had a good game today," Hayes said. "As a unit they struggled. ... I was pretty certain the back four weren't going to have a good game today because they looked like they were lacking a little bit in confidence. We gave up 3 goals and our goalkeeper was outstanding today."