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3

vs

1

Saturday, Aug. 24

6:30pm CT

Lynn Family Stadium

Stream on ION

Live Stats

Match 17

Regular Season

Preview

Recap

Racing Louisville FC

3-6-7

Previous Result

Louisville fell on the road against North Carolina, 3-1

Chicago Red Stars

7-7-2

Previous Result

Chicago earned their second-consecutive shutout at home against Houston, 1-0

Match Preview

The Chicago Red Stars (7-7-2, 23 pts) return to National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) regular-season play on the road against Racing Louisville FC (3-6-7, 16 pts). Following the 2024 Paris Olympics, both teams turn their sights on securing a playoff berth.

Back to the Races

Chicago and Louisville return to normal-stakes play when the two clubs face off August 24. Though the NWSL’s regular-season break began in early July, both teams have kept busy with 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup play and Racing Louisville’s participation in The Women’s Cup. As the second half of the NWSL season picks up and chances to earn points wane, wins become more crucial for Chicago and Louisville. With the top eight NWSL teams earning playoff berths, a victory over the seventh-place Red Stars could propel Racing Louisville into postseason contention as the club sits in ninth position. Yet Chicago heads to Lynn Family Stadium August 24 with an edge, as Louisville played more recently and had fewer incoming transactions. Playing a match August 13 and welcoming no new players since July 7, Racing Louisville has less time to prepare for a Chicago side with two new additions: Canadian midfielder, Julia Grosso, and Brazilian forward, Ludmila. Add a worse regular-season record, and Louisville may find themselves struggling despite having home field advantage.

Chicago is Golden

Decorated Red Stars veterans Alyssa Naeher and Mallory Swanson return to the Windy City with more hardware around their necks after winning gold with the United States Olympic Women’s Soccer Team. Both Naeher and Swanson proved themselves heroines in Paris, etching their names into minds around the world with fantastic individual performances that drove Team USA to success. Naeher tended goal in all six matches, allowing just two goals and recording four shutouts in the tournament. The final shutout made Naeher the first keeper in women’s soccer history to record a shutout in a World Cup and Olympic final and the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) recordholder for most shutouts in a single Olympic tournament. Red Star Mallory Swanson was the leading scorer for U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team, opening the United States’ group stage July 26 with a brace against Zambia. Swanson also went out shining, with her fourth goal in the campaign winning gold for Team USA in her 100th international cap August 10. Only USWNT legend Abby Wambach has scored more goals in a single Olympic tournament, putting Swanson in legendary company as the forward returns stateside with Naeher.

Busy Break

The United States weren’t the only country Red Stars fans found themselves rooting for in the Olympics. Chicago’s newest signings, Canadian midfielder, Julia Grosso, and Brazilian forward, Ludmila, also represented their respective countries in Paris. Grosso and Canada overcame adversity in the group stage standings, advancing to the knockout round before being eliminated by Germany in a quarterfinals penalty shootout August 3. Grosso was a reliable midfield presence, appearing in three of Canada’s four matches with one start. Ludmila proved key to Brazil’s attack, appearing in all six matches and earning starts in four. The newest Red Star assisted a goal in the group stage July 28 and had a goal called offside in the gold medal match August 10 along with multiple close chances shut down by the United States. When Ludmila arrives stateside, Naeher, Swanson and Red Stars fans will certainly be excited to have the Brazilian silver medalist’s speed working for them instead of against.

Racing Louisville FC

3

Scoring Summary:

12’ Uchenna Kanu (Balcer), 61’ Marisa DiGrande (Fischer), 77’ Kayla Fischer (Flint)

Disciplinary Report:

42’ Lauren Milliet (Yellow Card), 90+2’ Ary Borges (Yellow Card)

Lineup:

Katie Lund, Arin Wright, Abby Erceg, Ellie Jean, Lauren Milliet, Ary Borges, Taylor Flint (Jordan Baggett), Marisa DiGrande, Savannah DeMelo (Janine Beckie), Bethany Balcer (Kayla Fischer), Uchenna Kanu (Emma Sears)

Chicago Red Stars

1

Scoring Summary:

59’ Jameese Joseph (Hocking)

Disciplinary Report:

41’ Hannah Anderson (Yellow Card), 57’ Jameese Joseph (Yellow Card, 67’ Leilanni Nesbeth (Yellow Card)

Lineup:

Alyssa Naeher, Natalia Kuikka (Sarah Griffith), Tatumn Milazzo (Taylor Malham), Hannah Anderson, Leilanni Nesbeth (Camryn Biegalski), Bea Franklin (Julia Bianchi), Cari Roccaro, Julia Grosso, Jenna Bike, Penelope Hocking, Jameese Joseph (Nádia Gomes)

Chicago Red Stars Fall to Racing Louisville FC, 3-1

The Chicago Red Stars traveled to Racing Louisville FC tonight to re-start the National Women’s Soccer League regular season. Rookie, Jameese Joseph, scored the clubs only goal – assisted by Penelope Hocking – but the team fell short, allowing three goals to the home side. The Red Stars continue their road trip with a match against Angel City FC September 1 in LA.

KEY MOMENTS:

7’ Chicago’s Jameese Joseph breaks free just outside the box, looking cross from the left to teammate Penelope Hocking, but the shot doesn’t progress

12’ Louisville sends a ball into the box, finding the feet of Bethany Balcer for a one-touch cross to Uchenna Kanu who capitalizes with a well-placed shot to give Louisville an early lead, 1-0 Louisville

28’ Penelope Hocking weaves her way through the Louisville defense to take a quick shot. While Hocking’s shot is blocked, Joseph collects the deflection to fire off a shot of her own that rolls wide of the target

31’ Jenna Bike receives the ball in midfield and charges up the left side before delivering the ball to Penelope Hocking, whose shot is saved before it can find the net

45+2’ Joseph receives the ball inside the center circle and turns on the speed, making a diagonal run that takes the forward to the left side of the 18-yard box and drawing four defenders before launching a powerful shot that’s saved by Louisville’s keeper

49’ Louisville gets loose in the box with a dangerous open look, but Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher runs forward, sliding in with a tackle to shut down the chance

59’ Hocking connects again with Joseph, who rushes into the box, faking out a defender and lofting up a laser-focused shot that ricochets down off the crossbar and into the net to even the score, 1-1

61’ Louisville’s Kayla Fischer slides the ball inside Chicago’s box, setting up teammate Marisa DiGrande for a second goal, 2-1 Louisville

69’ A dangerous free kick is awarded to Louisville, but the shot narrowly whistles wide

77’ Louisville’s Taylor Flint sends a through ball past Chicago’s backline to a sprinting Fischer, who finds the back of the net and adds a third, 3-1 Louisville

GAME NOTES: