Revenge as a motivation has some drawbacks. There’s a temptation to invest emotionally in revenge that one wouldn’t for any other reason, such that when vengeance-motivated plans don’t come off the impact can be devastating.
The Red Stars were motivated today, in part, by a desire for revenge. This was the first time they would’ve faced Washington since the NWSL playoff semifinals last year, in which the Red Stars came oh-so-close to their first championship final but were thwarted at the last. Chicago wanted three points, of course, and the chance to underline bolster their 2017 playoff credentials.