Red Stars vs. Kansas City
Nov. 3  |  2:00 p.m. CT
Buy Tickets
Red Stars vs Gotham Fc
Oct. 12  |  3:00 p.m. CT
Buy Tickets
3
vs
1
SundayJun. 23
5:00pm CT
WakeMed Soccer Park
Broadcast: Marquee Sports
Match 14
Regular Season
Preview
Recap
North Carolina Courage
5-7-1
Previous Result
North Carolina played to a scoreless draw against Orlando
Chicago Red Stars logo
Chicago Red Stars
5-6-2
Previous Result
Chicago tied with league-leading Kansas City on the road, 2-2
Match Preview

The Chicago Red Stars (5-6-2, 17 pts) pay a visit to the North Carolina Courage (5-7-1, 16 points) for the first meeting between the two clubs in 2024. Both sides head into the match hungry for three points, having one win each in their last five matches.

On the Road Again
The Red Stars and the Courage meet in the middle of a three-match road trip for Chicago. Being a visiting side has brought good fortune to the Red Stars so far in 2024, as the team boasts a 3-1-2 record on the road. The matchup won’t be an easy win for Chicago though; North Carolina is unbeaten in six matches at home, with every defeat in the Courage’s 5-7-1 record suffered at away matches. Additionally, North Carolina only allowed one goal from an opponent on home turf, in their first match of the season March 16. Conversely, the Red Stars have scored at least once in every away fixture this season, making it a showdown to see which side will blink first. The scales could be tipping slightly in Chicago’s favor, as North Carolina is scoreless in their last three matches (2L, 1D) and the Red Stars have scored more goals (18) with more individual goal scorers (9) than the Courage (13 goals, 8 goal scorers). Mallory Swanson’s sixth-minute goal June 14 sharpens the edge further, extending Chicago’s regular-season scoring streak on the road to nine consecutive matches. With so many streaks at stake, June 23 will surely be an intense battle from start to finish.
Woah, We’re Halfway There
With 13 matches under their belt, the Red Stars are at the halfway point of the season. The club currently sits almost squarely in the middle of the league table, in sixth place with 17 points. The club currently ranks fifth in goals scored this season (18), though they are one of two teams currently in a playoff position with a negative goal differential (-1). While the team’s road record has helped them stay in good position on the league table, the Red Stars are still behind Washington and Gotham in road wins (4 to 3) and have only managed to draw twice on the road compared to the three draws by Kansas City and Orlando. Chicago, however, is third in possession won in the defensive third and first in clearances. The Red Stars are also fourth in assists (12) and second in shot conversion rate (13.85). Halfway through the season, the stats support the reality of the Red Stars as a mid-table team. The NWSL season, as any longtime fan knows, is long and everyone’s luck can change game to game. Stay tuned, the Stars are just getting started.
Rookies on the Rise
Red Stars rookie Jameese Joseph will be a short distance from her not-so-old stomping grounds of NC State University with a chance to show off for familiar fans June 23. Joseph and the rest of the Red Stars rookie class have been shining while earning respectable playing time in recent matches, consistently ranking in the top 5 players on both ends of the field. Joseph has the best passing accuracy (74.6 percent) among Red Stars rookies in 2024, is tied with midfielder Leilanni Nesbeth for highest expected goals (0.31) from a rookie, and has created more chances (4) for Chicago than any other rookie. With more playing time than any other rookie, Nesbeth has already scored her first professional goal, ranks third in tackles among all Red Stars (21), and has taken more shots (6) than any other first-year Red Star. Additionally, Hannah Anderson has rotated into Chicago’s starting lineup for the club’s two most recent matches, ranking third on the Red Stars in completed passes (18) and rocketing off a shot June 14. The 2024 Red Stars draft class is only just getting started in their careers and their futures are shining bright.
North Carolina Courage
3
Scoring Summary:
16’ Tyler Lussi (Pinto), 51’ Ashley Sanchez, 81’ Meredith Speck (St-Georges)
Disciplinary Report:
66’ Narumi Miura (Yellow Card), 84’ Denise O’Sullivan (Yellow Card), 98’ Bianca St-Georges (yellow Card)
Lineup:
Casey Murphy, Felicitas Rauch, Malia Berkely, Kaleigh Kurtz, Ryan Williams, Narumi Miura (Weatherholt), Riley Jackson (O'Sullivan), Brianna Pinto (Pickett), Tyler Lussi (St-Georges), Haley Hopkins, Ashley Sanchez (Speck)
Chicago Red Stars logo
Chicago Red Stars
1
Scoring Summary:
12’ Mallory Swanson
Disciplinary Report:
93’ Cari Roccaro (Yellow Card)
Lineup:
Alyssa Naeher, Tatumn Milazzo, Hannah Anderson, Sam Staab, Natalia Kuikka, Leilanni Nesbeth (Julia Bianchi), Cari Roccaro, Jenna Bike (Chardonnay Curran), Sarah Griffith (Shea Groom, Ally Schlegel (Jameese Joseph) (Ally Cook), Mallory Swanson
Chicago Red Stars Drop Points in North Carolina

The Chicago Red Stars travel back from North Carolina empty handed after a 3-1 loss to the Courage. Forward, Mallory Swanson, opened up the scoring in the 12th minute of the match, but the Courage came back to score three unanswered goals. The team now travels to San Diego to take on the Wave in the last match of a three-match road trip.  

 

KEY MOMENTS: 

8’ Chicago turns the ball over in their half giving the Courage a free run at the net, but rookie Hannah Anderson runs over to block the shot and clear the danger 

12’ Jenna Bike throws a ball into Mallory Swanson who dribbles it half the pitch to the Courage’s 18-yard box and takes a shot that finds the back of the net, 0-1 Chicago 

15’ The Courage force another turnover in Chicago’s half, find one of their attackers on a clear run at goal and tie the match with their shot, 1-1  

36’ Sam Staab throws a ball long from the attacking third that bounces to midfielder, Leilanni Nesbeth, who takes a shot, but North Carolina’s keeper is in a good position to make the save 

44’ North Carolina send a cross into Chicago’s 18-yard box that finds the head of one of their attackers sending the ball to the side opposite of keeper, Alyssa Naeher’s momentum. Naeher reacts quickly and stretches just far enough to push the ball out of danger, 1-1 

46’ Chicago force a turnover near midfield. Winger, Jenna Bike finds the ball takes it to the top of the Courage’s box and takes a curving shot, but the keeper is there to make the save 

47’ North Carolina send a ball wide in Chicago’s defensive third, cross it back to a trailing player who takes a shot, and with traffic in front of her, Naeher makes a great save for her 600th regular-season save 

51’ After surviving a barrage of shots from North Carolina, the Courage finally find the back of the net to take the lead off a shot from Ashley Sanchez, 2-1 North Carolina 

66’ Ball leaks through North Carolina’s defense from a free kick by Natalia Kuikka. Jameese Joseph finds the ball and takes a first touch strike with her left, but the ball bends wide of the net and out of play 

81’ North Carolina go on a run up the right side of the pitch, cross the ball into the box that finds a trailing player who takes a shot that just crosses the line before Sam Staab can make a save, 3-1 North Carolina 

 

GAME NOTES: 

  • With her save in the opening minute of the second half of the match, Alyssa Naeher now has 600 regular-season saves in her career 
  • This is the second time this season that Mallory Swanson has scored in back-to-back games 
  • With her goal tonight, Swanson now has five on the season, and is now the team’s leading goal scorer breaking a tie with Penelope Hocking and Ally Schlegel 
  • Though not credited with an assist, Swanson’s goal was initiated by a throw in from Jenna Bike making this the third connection between the duo that has led to a goal for Chicago 
  • Defender, Tatumn Milazzo, stood out on defense tonight winning two of her three tackles, making three interceptions and completing 75% of her passes in the final third 

 

Next Game 

San Diego Wave FC vs. Chicago Red Stars June 28, 2024, at Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA 

 

Goals by Half  

           1 2 F 

NC     1 2 3 

CHI   1 0 1 

Wintrust logo white
Copyright © 2023
All Rights Reserved
Privacy PolicyTerms & Conditions
crossmenu