Preview: Chicago Stars FC vs. Gotham FC
NWSL Chicago Stars FC

Preview: Chicago Stars FC vs. Gotham FC

Published on April 29, 2026 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


CHICAGO - Chicago Stars FC (2-4-0, 6 pts) will continue their three-match homestand in a midweek contest against reigning NWSL Champions Gotham FC (2-2-2, 8 pts) on Wednesday, April 29, at 7p.m. CT at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois. The Stars and Gotham will both be looking for their second straight win.

The Stars will host College Night during Wednesday's match and offer $1 hot dogs to all fans in attendance. The reigning NCAA champions, the Northwestern field hockey team will kick off the game as the Steam Starters for Wednesday's match.

Where to Watch

Stream: Victory+

Previous Result:

CHI: The Stars earned their first clean sheet of the season in a 2-0 victory over Boston Legacy FC on Saturday evening at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.

GFC: Gotham FC beat Bay FC 3-0 on Saturday, April 25, at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Storylines

Sjögren at the Helm: After being announced as Chicago's new head coach late last year, Martin Sjögren's first season with the Stars is underway. The Swede arrives in Chicago after more than a decade coaching at various Swedish teams and a stint at the helm of the Norwegian Women's National Team. Sjögren earned his first NWSL win in a 2-1 victory over the reigning NWSL Shield winners, the Kansas City Current on Sunday, March 22. Current assistant coach Anders Jacobson previously joined the Stars in August 2025 as interim head coach ahead of Sjögren's arrival, setting the foundation for what would become the team's identity under the duo.

First Starts: In the Stars' win over Boston, Emma Egizii made her first professional start while Aaliyah Farmer made her first NWSL start. Egizii totaled 23 touches, two duels won and three possessions won. Farmer recorded 31 touches, three duels won, four possessions won, led the squad with two tackles won and was third with six clearances.

In Safe Hands: In Katie Atkinson's two games between the posts, she has recorded one clean sheet and 16 saves for a 94.12% save percentage. Atkinson has also totaled five clearances and 22 recoveries. Her eight-save performance in Chicago's last outing earned her an NWSL Player of the Week nomination.

Squad Leaders: Tessa Dellarose, Ryan Gareis, Julia Grosso and Sam Staab have played in all six matches for Chicago, with Staab being the only Star to play all 540 minutes. Jordyn Huitema leads the squad with two goals and ranks second in the league for aerial duels won (18) while Gareis leads the Stars with two assists, ranking her third in the NWSL. Michelle Alozie and Dellarose lead Chicago with 11 tackles and Julia Grosso has more recoveries than any other Chicago Star (27). Defensively, Staab leads the Stars with 43 clearances and eight blocks, the third most across the league in blocks and clearances, along with a team-high nine interceptions.

Here's the History: The Stars are 10-7-12 against Gotham FC in regular season matches. Chicago has won seven of the last nine home matches against the reigning NWSL Champions, most recently beating Orlando Pride, 5-2, in September 2025.

Check out the Chicago Stars FC Statistics

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from April 29, 2026


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