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SaturdayMay. 25
6:30pm CT
SeatGeek Stadium
Match 11
Regular Season
Preview
Recap
Chicago Red Stars logo
Chicago Red Stars
5-4-1
Previous Result
Chicago lost their first road match to NJ/NY Gotham FC, 2-1
Racing Louisville FC logo
Racing Louisville FC
1-2-6
Previous Result
Louisville tied with the Kansas City Current, 3-3, in dramatic fashion
Match Preview

The Chicago Red Stars (5-4-1, 16 pts) look to bounce back after suffering their first loss on the road last weekend to Gotham FC. The club returns to SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL, to take on Racing Louisville FC (1-2-6, 9 pts) for the team’s Pride Night celebration. The first 1000 fans in attendance this weekend will receive a Chicago Red Stars branded Pride Night fanny pack.

Central Division Contest
Although this is the first matchup between Chicago and Louisville this season, the two teams are not strangers. Last season, the clubs faced off four times, twice in Challenge Cup play and twice in the regular season. Of those four matchups, Louisville walked away with three wins over Chicago, with the Red Stars only securing points in the teams’ last meeting in September when the Red Stars won 1-0. The winning team, in each of the last five meetings between the two sides, has kept a clean sheet against their rival. Chicago heads into this weekend’s match ahead on the NWSL table with 15 points to Louisville’s 9, though the stats say the two sides are closer than the six points that separates them. Chicago enters the weekend with 15 goals scored and 14 allowed, while Louisville has scored 14 goals and allowed 12. Of their goals scored, Chicago has seven at home and Louisville has six on the road. Louisville has the advantage of refusing to lose, however, with only two losses on their record compared to Chicago’s four. Both sides are nearly tied in goals average goals per game (1.5 for Chicago and 1.56 for Louisville) and both have scored one penalty goal this season off two attempts. Chicago does have the advantage of converting big chance opportunities (40.9% to 30.8%) with both teams having 22 big chance opportunities so far this season.
Penelope Powering Up
After a slow start to the season, Penelope Hocking seems to be coming into form for the Red Stars. The second-year forward has scored a goal in each of the Red Stars’ last three matches, making it the longest scoring streak in the California native’s young career. It can be said that Hocking’s success can be attributed to moving to a more central role in the Red Stars’ formation, where previously the forward played out on the wings. Following the loss against Gotham FC, Hocking noted to media that she requested to play centrally as that was where she found her success in college. In 2021, Hocking became USC’s leading goal scorer with 54 goals, breaking the previous record of 48 goals that stood for 21 years. #WithTheStars, Hocking has scored eight career goals across all competitions, making her the third highest goal scorer for the Red Stars behind Shea Groom (33) and Mallory Swanson (32). Hocking ended her rookie campaign tied for second goals scored with three behind Ella Stevens and Bianca St-Georges, who had four goals each. Ten matches into the season, and over the last three matches, Hocking has tied her goal total from last season and is certainly in the form to contribute more to the Red Stars’ attack.
Pack the Marshmallows
Chicago Red Stars, Natalia Kuikka (FIN), Sydney Schneider (JAM), Sam Staab (USA) and Mallory Swanson (USA), will all head to national team camp for the upcoming international break. Staab receives her first call up to the US Women’s National Team after an impressive start to the season that includes inclusion in the March/April NWSL Best XI team of the month, breaking the NWSL record for consecutive starts and then reaching the milestone of 100 consecutive starts, not to mention two assists on the season to boot. Kuikka joins Finland for two matches against the Netherlands in qualifying play for the 2025 Women’s European Championship. Schneider gets her first call to join Jamaica this year, with her previous inclusion with the Reggae Girlz coming in September of 2023. Swanson, joins her club teammate, on the USWNT, a third call up for Swanson this season. The USWNT take on Korea Republic June 1 and 4.
Chicago Red Stars logo
Chicago Red Stars
0
Scoring Summary:
Disciplinary Report:
34’ Tatumn Milazzo (Yellow Card), 39’ Leilanni Nesbeth (Yellow Card)
Lineup:
Mackenzie Wood, Maxi Rall (Hannah Anderson), Natalia Kuikka, Sam Staab, Tatum Milazzo, Leilanni Nesbeth, Cari Roccaro (Bea Franklin), Jenna Bike (Ally Cook), Ally Schlegel (Shea Groom), Mallory Swanson, Penelope Hocking (Jameese Joseph)
Racing Louisville FC logo
Racing Louisville FC
1
Scoring Summary:
26’ Emma Sears
Disciplinary Report:
24’ Arin Wright (Yellow Card), 58’ Kayla Fischer (Yellow Card)
Lineup:
Katie Lund, Carson Pickett, Abby Erceg, Arin Wright, Lauren Milliet, Marisa DiGrande, Taylor Flint, Kayla Fischer (Reilyn Turner), Savannah DeMelo, Emma Sears (Maddie Pokorny), Elexa Bahr (Parker Goins)
Chicago Red Stars Drop Second Consecutive, 0-1

The Chicago Red Stars, playing back home at SeatGeek Stadium, dropped their second-straight match in as many weeks against Racing Louisville FC, 0-1. Rookie, Hannah Anderson, made her professional debut for the club after subbing into the match in the 81st minute. 

 

KEY MOMENTS: 

26’ Racing Louisville’s Emma Sears receives the ball just outside Chicago’s 18-yard box, and takes a shot that gets past the stretched arms of Chicago’s keeper to open the scoring, 0-1 Louisville  

35’ Mallory Swanson’s high pressure on Louisville forces a turnover in their own half. Ally Schlegel finds the ball, passes it to Penelope Hocking inside Racing’s box, but the forward’s shot goes jsut wide of the net, 0-1 Louisville  

45+4’ Mallory Swanson delivers a ball off a free kick into Louisville’s box that finds the head of Sam Staab, however the defender’s attempt at goal is deflected and goes out of play 

57’ Louisville’s forward gets a free ball on the right side of Chicago’s box, take a dribble into the box and a quick shot at the net, but Chicago’s Mackenzie Wood’s quick reflexes keep the ball out of the net and away from danger 

72’ From a Chicago corner kick, Penelope Hocking finds Cari Roccaro outside of Louisville’s box. Roccaro takes a shot from distance that’s on target but doesn’t trouble the keeper, 0-1 Louisville 

73’ Chicago’s Penelope Hocking receives the ball near the right wing of the pitch, dribbles toward the middle of the pitch, then continues her run and escapes being surrounded by five Louisville players to take a left-footed shot that bounces off the keeper and is cleared by Louisville 

82’ Mallory Swanson receives a long ball from the back line in Louisville territory. The forward dribbles into the 18-yard box while fending off a defender, passes it to a trialing Penelope Hocking who takes a strong shot that is saved by the keeper 

 

GAME NOTES: 

  • Tonight marked the debut of defender, Hannah Anderson, for the Chicago Red Stars. Anderson was selected by the club in the third round of the 2024 NWSL Draft 
  • Chicago Red Stars have failed to score a first-half goal in 7 of their 11 games, only Utah Royals (8) and Houston Dash (9) have failed to score more often 

Next Game 

Chicago Red Stars vs. Bay FC June 8, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. CT at Wrigley Field 

Goals by Half  

                1 2 F 

CHI        0 0 0 

LOU       1 0 1  

Highlights | May 25 vs Racing Louisville
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