Julia Bianchi heads back on defense shortly after delivering a first-half goal for the Chicago Red Stars on March 23 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Photo by Jeff Vorva
Red Stars top Seattle, open season with two wins for first time in franchise history
By Jeff Vorva
Correspondent
Last year’s last-place finish notwithstanding, the Chicago Red Stars have had a pretty rich history of success.
The franchise has seven NWSL playoff appearances and has finished runner-up twice (2019, 2021), and prior to 2022 had finished no lower than fourth in the league ‘s regular season standings for six consecutive seasons.
This is a perennial winning team.
But the Stars have already done something this season that they had never done in franchise history — opening with two straight wins to collect six points.
They took down Seattle, 2-1, in front of an announced home-opener crowd of 5,494 at chilly SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview on March 23.
Seattle is no slouch, having finished second in the NWSL postseason tournament last season after a third-place finish during the regular season.
Coupled with a season-opening 2-0 win at expansion Utah on March 16, the Red Stars are riding high.
First-year Chicago coach Lorne Donaldson is happy with the 2-0-0 start, but he cautions “there is a long, long, long, long way to go.”
The way the Red Stars beat Seattle was impressive.
Julia Bianchi scored in the 42nd minute to give the Red Stars a 1-0 lead leading into the locker room at halftime.
Seattle (1-1-0) struck first in the second half, as Ji So Yun scored in the 63rd minute to tie the match, but the Red Stars’ Maxi Rall took care of things in the 67th minute after taking as pass from Taylor Malham
Bianchi, who helped set up that second goal by getting the ball to Malham, liked that the team could bounce back so quickly after allowing the equalizer.
Taylor Malham of the Red Stars tries to move the ball down the field. She had an assist in Chicago’s 2-1 win over Seattle on March 23 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Photo by Jeff Vorva
“We were able to score five minutes after giving up the goal, so that shows our energy and resiliency,” Bianchi said. “It’s helping us win the games.”
Four players have scored goals in the two victories, and none of them were named Mallory Swanson.
Swanson is one of the top offensive players in the world and is coming off a 2023 season which she missed almost all of the Red Stars’ season and all of the United States’ run in the World Cup with a torn patellar tendon.
She has logged 80-plus minutes in each of the first two wins and although she hasn’t scored, she is way ahead of the game, according to Donaldson.
“I don’t expect Mal to hit any kind of form until five or six games in,” Donaldson said. “She’s done way, way, way better than I thought. I didn’t think she was going to start the season. I thought we were going to play the first set of games without Mal.
“Her just being on the field is a plus. She’s a leader out there and she’s going to work hard. She’s going to work her butt off for everybody. She puts fear in (opponents).”
Staab signed
Between victories, the Red Stars signed defender and three-time NWSL Iron Woman, Sam Staab, to a three-year contract extension running through the 2026 season.
Red Stars general manager Richard Feuz stated in a news release that Staab’s skills and experience will be a cornerstone in solidifying the team’s backline for seasons to come.
Staab came to the Red Stars from Washington in January in exchange for the third pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft. In her first appearance for Chicago, she played a full 90 minutes, assisting on Ally Schlegel’s goal in the 50th minute. She had more touches than any other Red Star and recorded a team-high three clearances.
The San Diego native spent five years with the Spirit after the club drafted her in 2019 with the fourth overall pick out of Clemson.
Another Naeher milestone
Red Stars goalie Alyssa Naeher racked up her 50th regular-season NWSL win with the Red Stars.
That’s a league record for matches won with one team by a goalkeeper. Naeher also earned the league’s Deloitte Impact Save of the Week honors during the Red Stars’ clean sheet in Week 1.
Coming up
The Red Stars visit Orlando (0-0-2) at 6 p.m., on March 29. Orlando tied Louisville, 2-2, on March 16 and Angel City, 1-1, on March 22.
The next home game is a late one — an 8:30 p.m. start on April 13 against Angel City at SeatGeek Stadium.
Red Stars standout Mallory Swanson gives directions during a 2-1 win over Seattle on March 23 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Photo by Jeff Vorva
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