Match Preview: Chicago Red Stars vs. Kansas City Current
SeatGeek Stadium | Bridgeview, Illinois – Wednesday, September 14 at 8:00 PM ET
Players to watch:
Chicago midfielder Danielle Colaprico scored her first league goal since 2019 with a penalty kick in the second half of Chicago’s draw with OL Reign. It was the first goal from the spot in 139 career regular season matches for Colaprico. Also on the scoresheet that night was forward Ella Stevens, who has notched four goals on the year so far—two with her head and two with her right foot—and all inside the box. Stevens is the club’s second leading scorer behind forward Mallory Pugh who has eight goals on the year and is the only other player to have scored from the spot for Chicago.
Speaking of penalties, Kansas City midfielder Hailie Mace converted the game-winning penalty for her side on Sunday after the league’s leading penalty scorer, teammate Lo’eau LaBonta, had been subbed out of the game. Mace took the first penalty, converted, and scored the first game-winning goal of her career in her 37thNWSL appearance.
Match facts: The Chicago Red Stars welcome the Kansas City Current to SeatGeek Stadium on Wednesday night in the second of two games across the league midweek. While the Current fight for first place in the Road to the Shield, the Red Stars are aiming to keep hold of a playoff spot with just a few games remaining.
On Friday, Chicago played to a 2-2 draw at OL Reign, which ended a stretch of four consecutive away matches for the Red Stars. However, the club has now only allowed six goals at home this season in eight matches, compared to 18 goals allowed in the team’s 10 away matches.
On the other side, following Kansas City’s 1-0 win on the road against Gotham, the Current have won their last five road games, which matches the longest road-game winning streak in a single season in NWSL history (North Carolina – 2018). Overall, Kansas City is on a 13-game unbeaten run that spans back to a 1-0 loss against OL Reign on May 26.
Chicago is unbeaten in four league games against the Current though (W3 D1), with the most recent match ending in a 2-2 draw in June. Outside of league play, Kansas City did beat Chicago in two Challenge Cup matches in 2022, both by a score of 2-1.
