Chicago Stars FC Down Reigning NWSL Champions, Orlando Pride, 5-2
NWSL Chicago Stars FC

Chicago Stars FC Down Reigning NWSL Champions, Orlando Pride, 5-2

Published on September 7, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


CHICAGO - Chicago Stars FC stood tall against reigning National Women's Soccer League Champions, the Orlando Pride in a 5-2 thriller this afternoon in the club's Wintrust Lakefront Faceoff at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. After a nil-nil first half, the goals flowed with Chicago's Sam Staab getting the scoring started in the 50th minute. Orlando quickly equalized, but Stars Jameese Joseph, Bea Franklin and Julia Grosso combined for three goals in 15 minutes. The Pride went on to pull back another, but it was Chicago's Ludmila who put the bow on the 5-2 victory, scoring her sixth goal in four matches in the final minute of regulation. With a second win under their belt, the Chicago Stars return to SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois next week, hosting Portland Thorns FC September 14 at 2 p.m. CT.

The Chicago Stars took to the pitch for the first time at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium today for their reverse fixture against the Orlando Pride. Breaking in their new stadium, Chicago looked to come out and apply pressure on the Pride. Relying on their tried-and-true method from the last few matches, Chicago pressed Orlando high causing turnovers and intercepting their passes. Orlando, however, showed why they are the defending champions and fought back creating their own chances, mainly through crosses from their wingers and Marta from either side of the 18-yard box. While Orlando got close a couple of times, the Stars defense stood strong and kept them out of the net in the first half. Chicago, through Jameese Joseph, Ludmila and Ally Schlegel, had plenty of chances themselves, but could not get around Anna Moorhouse. The Stars' best chance came on the last play of the half when Ally Schlegel got a quick pass in the middle of the pitch and using support from Joseph and Ludmila, started a two versus three breakaway. Ultimately, Schlegel struck the ball herself with her left, and while the shot necessitated a diving save from Moorhouse, it did not break the score open for the Stars. At the half Chicago had more possession (55.4% to 44.67%), better passing accuracy (80.1% to 78%) and more shots (8 to 6) than Orlando.

After near misses and feeling out their opponent, the Chicago Stars came out of the locker room for the second half ready for revenge. Four minutes into the second half, Ludmila won a free kick opportunity just a few feet away from the half circle above the 18-yard box. Defender, Sam Staab, stepped up to take the free kick and as calm as ever, sent the ball past Orlando's keeper to give Chicago the lead. Minutes later, Orlando scored to tie the match with a goal from Carson Pickett with an assist from Haley McCutcheon. Chicago, undeterred, turned to Jameese Joseph, who received a ball from Julia Grosso, danced her way into the box and sent a shot toward goal that gave Chicago the lead back. Almost ten minutes later, Chicago's Ludmila, with the ball on the left wing, lost her defender and sent a cross into the box that found the head of Bea Franklin who put Chicago up, 3-1. Four minutes after that, Camryn Biegalski sent a long ball from Chicago's territory into Orlando's defensive third to find Julia Grosso. Grosso controlled the ball and went to her weak foot to take a strike and extend the lead 4-1. At the 71st minute, Orlando pulled a goal back with a cross from the right side to Haley McCutcheon to make it 4-2. Chicago, however, put a stop to whatever hope that goal held for the Pride when Nádia Gomes sent a cross from left to right to the back post for Ludmila who took an errant touch, but recovered and made it 5-2 to end the match.

Results aside, Chicago celebrated throughout the day as the team hosted and played their first match at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, the team's home for the 2026 season. The day featured a meet and greet with Star, Mallory Swanson, a VIP reception and a variety of family friendly activities in the club's two fan zones, presented by Jameson. The club unveiled a new tradition to start the match and at halftime, honored women varsity athletes from Northwestern University and as a bonus, welcomed 10,127 fans to the stadium - the team's highest home attendance this season. In what was just a preview of 2026, the Stars look to build on the day's events as the team prepares to move north to Evanston next year.

MATCH NOTES:

Julia Grosso, Jameese Joseph and Sam Staab scored their second goals of the season today

Sam Staab's direct free kick goal is the first such goal for the Chicago Stars in club history.

Last time Chicago scored 4 goals in the second half of match was Sept. 4, 2018, vs. Gotham

Ludmila's assist was the first of the season for the Brazilian

Nádia Gomes recorded her first NWSL regular-season assist today

Today was Julia Grosso's first match with a goal and assist in the NWSL

Ludmila now has 10 goals on the season and is third in the race for the league's golden boot

Only four Chicago Stars players, now including Ludmila, have scored 10 goals in a season - Sam Kerr (2018, 2019), Christen Press (2015, 2017) and Mallory Swanson (2022)

Today was the third time this season Chicago has scored three goals in the second half

This was the third match in league history where a team scores five goals in the second half

Chicago is now unbeaten in six-straight matches, since the resumption of the NWSL season

Next Match

Chicago Stars FC vs. Portland Thorns FC, September 14, 2025, at 2 p.m. CT at SeatGeek Stadium

Goals by Half

1 2 F

CHI 0 5 5

ORL 0 2 2

Scoring Summary:

CHI: 50' Sam Staab, 54' Jameese Joseph (Julia Grosso), 65' Bea Franklin (Ludmila). 68' Julia Grosso (Camryn Biegalski), 89' Ludmila (Nádia Gomes)

ORL: 53' Carson Pickett (Haley Mccutcheon), 72' Haley Mccutcheon (Julie Doyle)

Disciplinary Report

CHI: 81' Bea Franklin (Yellow Card), 85' Jameese Joseph (Yellow Card), 90+4' Leilanni Nesbeth (Yellow Card)

ORL: 49' Rafaelle Souza (Yellow Card)

Lineups

CHI: Alyssa Naeher, Camryn Biegalski, Sam Staab, Kathrin Hendrich, Taylor Malham, Julia Grosso (90+1' Manaka Hayashi), Maitane López (75' Nádia Gomes), Bea Franklin, Ally Schlegel, Jameese Joseph (88' Leilanni Nesbeth), Ludmila (90+2' Micayla Johnson)

ORL: Anna Moorhouse, Carson Pickett (76' Luana), Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, Emily Sams, Haley McCutcheon, Angelina, Marta (76' Summer Yates), Ally Lemos (70' Ally Watt), Oihane Hernández (46' Julie Doyle), Simone Charley (46' Jacquie Ovalle)

Check out the Chicago Stars FC Statistics

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from September 7, 2025


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