Nichelle Prince, Amanda Gutierres Lead Boston Legacy to First Clean Sheet of Season, 2-0 Over Chicago Stars

Thirteen matches into its inaugural NWSL season, Boston Legacy FC had yet to get through a full night without picking the ball out of its own net. On Friday in Pawtucket, that finally changed.

Amanda Gutierres scored from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute, Nichelle Prince added a second in the 58th, and Boston beat the Chicago Stars 2-0 at Centreville Bank Stadium. It was the Legacy's first clean sheet of the season, and as the club pointed out, it snapped a four-game winless run. It also settled a score from April 25, when Chicago beat Boston 2-0 in Chicago.

Traoré Draws It, Gutierres Buries It

Chicago had the first looks. Brianna Pinto fired over the bar in the 14th minute, and Jameese Joseph had a long-range attempt blocked a minute later. Boston then took over. Aïssata Traoré had a header blocked off a Gutierres cross in the 18th, and Alba Caño sent a Bárbara Olivieri cross wide in the 19th.

In that same minute, Traoré went down in the box under a challenge from Aaliyah Farmer, and the referee pointed to the spot. Gutierres stepped up in the 22nd and drove a right-footed penalty into the bottom right corner. Boston said it was her fourth goal of the season.

The Legacy did not take their foot off the gas. Bianca St-Georges missed to the left from distance in the 31st minute, Traoré had a shot blocked in the 32nd, and Gutierres went wide from outside the box in the 34th. Chicago's lone first-half response after the goal was a Joseph shot that flew high and wide in the 39th.

Then came a flurry in stoppage time, and Lilly Reale was at the center of it. The left back set up three chances in about a minute: Katie Atkinson saved Traoré's shot from a tight angle, Gutierres had an effort blocked, and Atkinson stopped Annie Karich's header in the bottom right corner. Boston went to the break up only 1-0, but it had been the better team by a distance.

The Four-Minute Swing

The game's real hinge came early in the second half. In the 54th minute, Mallory Swanson slipped a through ball to Jordyn Huitema, who shot from the center of the box. Casey Murphy made the save low in the corner. Chicago was a finish away from 1-1.

Four minutes later, it was 2-0 instead. According to the Legacy, Prince stripped the ball off a Chicago defender, went around Atkinson and finished. ESPN's data has the right-footed shot coming from the right side of the six-yard box. In four minutes, the game went from a possible 1-1 to 2-0, and the final half hour looked very different.

Chicago responded with changes, sending on Jenna Bike and Bea Franklin in the 59th minute and Ivonne Chacón in the 71st. Boston kept creating. St-Georges just missed in the 60th, Karich headed wide in the 71st and Sammy Smith, on for Gutierres in the 66th, forced Atkinson into a save in the 77th.

The underlying numbers backed up what the eye test said. Boston completed 28 of its 39 long balls and nine of its 18 crosses, while Chicago connected on 12 of 35 long balls and just one of 11 crosses. The Legacy were going over and around the Stars, and the Stars rarely found a clean route back.

Murphy Closes the Door

The final 15 minutes belonged to Murphy and, briefly, to the crossbar. She saved a Bike drive from outside the box in the 78th minute. In the 89th, Joseph broke away on a fast break and hit the bar with a left-footed shot from distance. In stoppage time, Murphy stopped Swanson from the left side of the box and then denied Huitema again from the center of the box after a Joseph through ball. Two Chicago corners followed. Nothing came of them.

After 13 matches of chasing a shutout, in front of 7,463 fans, Boston would have been forgiven for some nerves. Murphy did not look nervous.

Who Stepped Up

Casey Murphy made four saves, two of them on Huitema, and all of them mattered.

Amanda Gutierres converted the penalty and led Boston with four shots before coming off in the 66th minute.

Nichelle Prince needed one shot to score, and Boston's account of the goal makes it sound like she did most of the work before it.

Aïssata Traoré drew the penalty and put three shots on the board, while Bianca St-Georges added three shots of her own from right back. Reale was the creator in chief late in the first half.

For Chicago, Huitema put both of her shots on target and, per the club, led the Stars with five duels won. Sam Staab led the Chicago defense with five clearances, the Stars said. Joseph took three shots and hit the woodwork.

The Numbers Behind the Shutout

• Shots: Boston 19, Chicago 9.
• On goal: Boston 5, Chicago 4.
• Saves: Murphy 4, Atkinson 3.
• Possession: Boston 53.3 percent, Chicago 46.7.
• Interceptions: Boston 10, Chicago 2.

Where Both Clubs Stand

Boston moves to three wins, four draws and seven losses with 13 points, one point ahead of Chicago. It was the Legacy's first win since a 2-1 home result against the Orlando Pride on May 12, and the four-game winless run in between included draws with Bay FC twice and losses to Seattle and Kansas City. Boston heads to Orlando for a rematch on Wednesday, July 15.

Chicago falls to four wins and 10 losses with 12 points. The Stars had come in off a 3-2 win over the Utah Royals on July 5 but could not build on it. They return home to Martin Stadium in Evanston to host Angel City FC on Saturday, July 18.

Final Word

First clean sheets are like your first apartment: small, hard-earned and way more satisfying than they have any right to be. Boston waited 13 games for this one. Judging by how the Legacy played, the next one may not take nearly as long.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Additional details as reported by BostonLegacyFC.com and ChicagoStars.com.