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SANDY \u2014 Before Easter weekend, the Utah Royals had a good Friday at America First Field.<\/span><\/p>\n Mina Tanaka<\/a> scored her second goal of the season on a second-half penalty kick as the Royals cruised to a 1-0 win over Chicago in front of a friendly home crowd.<\/span><\/p>\n The Japanese international two weeks removed from helping her national team to the women\u2019s Asian Cup title<\/a> scored her second goal in three matches for Utah (2-2-1, 7 points), which won back-to-back matches for the first time since winning three in a row last September.<\/span><\/p>\n Mia Justus made one save to earn her first shutout since a 2-0 win over Bay FC to end that three-match streak.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all just so excited to get Mia the shutout after she\u2019s been throwing her body around and keeping us in games,\u201d Royals defender Tatumn Milazzo<\/a>\u00a0said. \u201cWe\u2019ve all been pushing for a shutout, and to get it today before the (international) break is great, and I think gives us good vibes going into the break.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Justus made just one save on three shots faced in her second professional shutout, which is perhaps fitting after the 23-year-old goalkeeper out of Texas stood on her head with six total saves in a pair of results last week, 1-1 at Washington and a 2-1 win over NWSL newcomers Boston<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Tanaka and the attack did most of the heavy lifting.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s a great player,\u201d Utah midfielder Ana Tejada said of Tanaka. \u201cI don\u2019t think I have words to describe how good she is; she\u2019s really smart off the ball, and that helps us move around the ball. She works really hard, she\u2019s great on goal, and you can throw her a ball and bring her down to make it good anywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cShe gives you confidence with what she does with the ball. She just brings confidence to everyone else around here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n GOAL LINE HEROICS from Chicago Stars\u2019 Kathrin Hendrich \ud83d\ude33 pic.twitter.com\/Ac9OIqNTVI<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 National Women\u2019s Soccer League (@NWSL) April 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The Royals controlled the offense through 45 minutes, but couldn\u2019t break down the Stars\u2019 stout defense.<\/span><\/p>\n Chicago goalkeeper Katie Atkinson made five saves in the first half, including punching Janni Thomsen\u2019s 43rd-minute attempt over the bar to preserve the scoreless half.<\/span><\/p>\n Kathrin Hendrich cleared another attempt off the line, heading Dayana Pierre-Louis\u2019 shot over the bar in the 30th minute as Utah out-shot the Stars 18-2 before the break, including six shots on goal.<\/span><\/p>\n The 18 shots in the first half tied for the most in Utah Royals FC history, and the most shots in a half since a 3-0 win over Seattle back on Oct. 13, 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe were very high on beating the first line of pressure, going wide, and the second you beat the first line something needs to happen beyond it,\u201d said Utah coach Jimmy Coenraets<\/a>, while particularly praising first-year midfielder Pierre-Louis. \u201cThat\u2019s what we saw beyond it.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think we just rotated really well in the spaces that the opponent gave us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Utah tied its franchise record for the most shots \u2014 at 25, that is \u2014 with 25 minutes remaining, and held the Stars without a corner kick until the 67th minute.<\/span><\/p>\n\n