Chicago Stars Goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher, Wins NWSL Goal of the Week
NWSL Chicago Stars FC

Chicago Stars Goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher, Wins NWSL Goal of the Week

Published on August 20, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


CHICAGO - Chicago Stars FC goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher, has earned Week 16 Goal of the Week Honors, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) announced today. Naeher's first career NWSL goal was monumental, coming in her 200th regular-season appearance and equalizing the score in the last minute to secure the Chicago Stars' largest comeback in club history.

The Stars undefeated streak seemed at risk Monday night, down 3-0 against Seattle Reign FC 45 minutes and 15 seconds into the match. Despite clawing two goals back, with stoppage time dwindling, a match-tying goal seemed impossible - until the ninth and final minute of added time, that is. Chicago won a corner kick, and the 'all hands on deck' situation brought goalkeeper Naeher into Seattle's six-yard box. Manaka Hayashi took the corner, arcing the ball towards the center of the 18-yard box, and chaos ensued. Julia Grosso redirected the ball towards the net with her head, and it looked poised to find the top right corner of the net until Reign keeper, Claudia Dickey, just barely managed to bat the shot down. Simultaneously, Kathrin Hendrich, Naeher and Ally Schlegel closed in, ready to recover the ball and take a second chance. Hendrich tapped the ball with her toe just in front of the post and a falling Dickey deflected it once again, this time with her foot. The ball bounced just in front of the goal line, and up towards Alyssa Naeher, who spotted it with eagle eyes and whipped the finishing touch into the back of the net. Cementing another draw for Chicago, Naeher's goal took place the same night Naeher became the first NWSL keeper to record 200 appearances and makes her just the third keeper in league history to score a goal. It also marks the first time since June 2024 the Stars have scored three goals and is the latest regular-season goal scored by the Stars in club history.

Fittingly, Naeher's first NWSL goal is her first Goal of the Week award, but Chicago's team captain is no stranger to league honors. Most recently, Naeher took home three Save of the Week awards in 2024 and was named to the March/April 2024 Best XI of the Month. Active in the NWSL since its' inaugural 2013 season, the Connecticut native has now collected 13 weekly honors with the Stars, including 11 Save of Week awards and one Player of the week win. Naeher joins Jameese Joseph (Week 4 Assist of the Week) and Ludmila (Week 12 Goal of the Week) as the third Chicago Star to win a weekly award this season.

Naeher and the Chicago Stars return to action Friday, August 22, at 7 p.m. CT, taking on the North Carolina Courage at SeatGeek Stadium. The Neighborhood Night match will celebrate the diverse neighborhoods throughout the city of Chicago that create the city's vibrant cultural identity. Tickets are available now at chicagostars.com/tickets.

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