May 25, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Red Stars News Release
CHICAGO – The Chicago Red Stars (5-4-1, 16 pts) look to bounce back after suffering their first loss on the road last weekend to Gotham FC. The club returns to SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL, to take on Racing Louisville FC (1-2-6, 9 pts) for the team’s Pride Night celebration. The first 1000 fans in attendance this weekend will receive a Chicago Red Stars branded Pride Night fanny pack.
Where to Watch
Broadcast: ION
Previous Result:
CHI: Chicago lost their first road match to NJ/NY Gotham FC, 2-1
LOU: Louisville tied with the Kansas City Current, 3-3, in dramatic fashion
Storylines
Central Division Contest: Although this is the first matchup between Chicago and Louisville this season, the two teams are not strangers. Last season, the clubs faced off four times, twice in Challenge Cup play and twice in the regular season. Of those four matchups, Louisville walked away with three wins over Chicago, with the Red Stars only securing points in the teams’ last meeting in September when the Red Stars won 1-0. The winning team, in each of the last five meetings between the two sides, has kept a clean sheet against their rival. Chicago heads into this weekend’s match ahead on the NWSL table with 15 points to Louisville’s 9, though the stats say the two sides are closer than the six points that separates them. Chicago enters the weekend with 15 goals scored and 14 allowed, while Louisville has scored 14 goals and allowed 12. Of their goals scored, Chicago has seven at home and Louisville has six on the road. Louisville has the advantage of refusing to lose, however, with only two losses on their record compared to Chicago’s four. Both sides are nearly tied in goals average goals per game (1.5 for Chicago and 1.56 for Louisville) and both have scored one penalty goal this season off two attempts. Chicago does have the advantage of converting big chance opportunities (40.9% to 30.8%) with both teams having 22 big chance opportunities so far this season.
Penelope Powering Up: After a slow start to the season, Penelope Hocking seems to be coming into form for the Red Stars. The second-year forward has scored a goal in each of the Red Stars’ last three matches, making it the longest scoring streak in the California native’s young career. It can be said that Hocking’s success can be attributed to moving to a more central role in the Red Stars’ formation, where previously the forward played…