Chicago Stars FC's Ludmila Scores Fastest Hat Trick in League History, Chicago Comes Back to Tie North Carolina Courage, 3-3
NWSL Chicago Stars FC

Chicago Stars FC's Ludmila Scores Fastest Hat Trick in League History, Chicago Comes Back to Tie North Carolina Courage, 3-3

Published on August 22, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


CHICAGO - Chicago Stars FC's Ludmila scored the fastest hat trick in National Women's Soccer League history to complete Chicago's three-goal comeback at home against the North Carolina Courage tonight. After a scoreless first half, the Stars found themselves down, 0-2, by the 62nd minute. The deficit spurred the Chicago Stars on, and Ludmila beat two defenders to score her first goal in the 76th minute. The Brazilian's brace almost mirrored her first, with Ludmila beating her defender in the 81st minute and finding the top right corner of the net. North Carolina quickly added a third as an answer, but Chicago grit prevailed in the 85th minute when Manaka Hayashi took a corner that perfectly set up Ludmila to head the ball into the net for the final equalizer. The Chicago Stars now head to the nation's capital with a four-match undefeated streak to face off with the Washington Spirit at Audi Field, August 31 at 3 p.m. CT. Chicago Stars fans can join the club for a watch party at Chicago Stars FC's Summer Fest at 1508 W Jarvis Ave, Chicago, Illinois, 60628.

A short-staffed Chicago Stars team took to the pitch with a slightly different lineup four days after their match against Seattle Monday. Regardless, Stars players took the pitch still looking fast, pressing North Carolina and forcing turnovers and running in transition to create chances of their own. In the 22nd minute, Ally Schlegel forced one of those turnovers in the Courage's defensive third and heeled the ball to a charging Jameese Joseph who took a left footed shot that forced Casey Murphey to dive and touch the ball over the crossbar for a Chicago corner kick. Eight minutes later, Maitane forced a turnover at midfield, got the ball to Joseph who sent a low cross into the 18-yard box that rolled into the path of Nádia Gomes, but the forward's shot sailed over the crossbar. In the first and only minute of added time, it as Joseph's turn to force a turnover and took it to the top of the 18 before losing possession. No worries, however, because Lauren Holiday Award nominee, Bea Franklin followed the play and took a shot that forced Murphy to make another stop to keep Chicago off the board and keep it 0-0 at the half.

At halftime, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman stepped out onto the pitch to deliver a $5,000 donation from Nationwide to the Chicago Stars' 2025 Lauren Holiday Impact Award community organization, Digs with Dignity. Bea Franklin, Chicago's 2025 Lauren Holiday Impact Award nominee partnered with Digs with Dignity for the nomination to work with the organization on one of Franklin's favorite ways to contribute to the city: helping those impacted by homelessness. As part of the Lauren Holiday Impact Award Appreciation Match, Franklin wore a commemorative armband during the match bearing the silhouette of award namesake, Lauren Holiday.

The 0-0 score held the promise of a more action in the second half, and the match delivered. North Carolina started the scoring after a through ball from Ashley Sanchez found Manaka Matsukubo in the 49th minute and the forward outran her mark to chip Alyssa Naeher, who came off her line to meet the attacker. A second goal for the Courage came after the ball was fed once again to Manaka, who crossed into the box, and a mistake clearing the ball allowed Tyler Lussi to score. The rest of the match turned into the Ludmila show. Chicago found themselves back in the match in the 76th minute when Sam Staab sent a long ball from midfield to Ludmila, who shirked two defenders to send an absolute screamer into the back of the net from just outside the box. Five minutes later, Ludmila's brace felt almost like déjà vu: Sam Staab sent a long ball to Ludmila near midfield and the Brazilian outran her defender, caught Murphy off her line and put away the equalizer in the 81st minute. A cross from North Carolina's Meredith Speck allowed Jaedyn Shaw to quickly answer and find the lead again in the 83rd minute, but Ludmila wasn't done. In the 85th minute, Manaka Hayashi sent in a corner kick attempt to an unmarked Ludmila in the box and the Brazilian grabbed her hat trick with a header to pull a point out of the match.

MATCH NOTES:

Ludmila scored Chicago's first hat trick since June 30, 2019 (Sam Kerr)

Ludmila's hat tonight was the fastest hat trick in league history (10:09 between the first and third goal)

With her three goals tonight, Ludmila is now tied for third in the NWSL golden boot race with Orlando's Barbara Banda (8 goals)

Defender, Sam Staab, recorded her first two assist match in her career tonight

Midfielder, Manaka Hayashi, recorded her first professional assist on Ludmila's third goal

Chicago Stars remain undefeated under interim head coach, Ella Masar, with a four-match unbeaten streak

Next Match

Washington Spirit vs. Chicago Stars FC, August 31, 2025, at 3 p.m. CT at Audi Field

Goals by Half

1 2 F

CHI 0 3 3

NC 0 3 3

Scoring Summary:

CHI: 76' Ludmila (Sam Staab) 81' Ludmila (Sam Staab), 86' Ludmila (Manaka Hayashi)

NC: 49' Manaka Matsukubo (Ashley Sanchez), 62' Tyler Lussi

Disciplinary Report

CHI: 25' Maitane (Yellow Card), 44' Leilanni Nesbeth, 67' Bea Franklin (Yellow Card), 85' Ella Masar (Yellow Card)

NC: 43' Manaka Matsukubo (Yellow Card)

Lineups

CHI: Alyssa Naeher, Taylor Malham, Sam Staab, Kathrin Hendrich (84' Ava Cook), Camryn Biegalski, Leilanni Nesbeth (46' Julia Grosso), Jameese Joseph (46' Ludmila), Nádia Gomes (64' Micayla Johnson), Maitane López (64' Manaka Hayashi), Bea Franklin, Ally Schlegel

NC: Casey Murphy, Tyler Lussi (71' Meredith Speck), Maycee Bell, Kaleigh Kurtz, Ryan Williams, Riley Jackson, Manaka Matsukubo, Shinomi Koyama, Ashley Sanchez, Brianna Pinto (71' Jaedyn Shaw), Aline Gomes (56' Malia Berkely)

-Chicago Stars-

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