On March 16, the Chicago Red Stars kicked off their 2024 campaign with a 2-0 road win over Utah Royals FC in the Royals' inaugural match back in the National Women's Soccer League.
Ally Schlegel and Ava Cook scored for the Red Stars, and were backed by an outstanding performance by goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. Naeher made five saves, making this her first five-save match since Chicago faced Louisville on Oct. 1, 2023.
The match marked Mallory Swanson's first match back since injury last season. She played 80 minutes before subbing out.
Also, the win made Lorne Donaldson the 15th coach in league history to win his very first match as a head coach, out of 57 total debuts.
The Red Stars will next face the Seattle Reign FC on Saturday, March 23, at 3 p.m. CT at SeatGeek Stadium.
Andrew Davis