Sports stats



NWSL Chicago Stars FC

Preview: North Carolina Courage vs. Chicago Red Stars

June 23, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


CHICAGO - The Chicago Red Stars (5-6-2, 17 pts) pay a visit to the North Carolina Courage (5-7-1, 16 points) for the first meeting between the two clubs in 2024. Both sides head into the match hungry for three points, having one win each in their last five matches.

Where to Watch

Local Broadcast: Marquee Sports Network

Stream: Paramount+, NWSL+

Previous Result:

CHI: Chicago tied with league-leading Kansas City on the road, 2-2

NCC: North Carolina played to a scoreless draw against Orlando

Storylines

On the Road Again: The Red Stars and the Courage meet in the middle of a three-match road trip for Chicago. Being a visiting side has brought good fortune to the Red Stars so far in 2024, as the team boasts a 3-1-2 record on the road. The matchup won't be an easy win for Chicago though; North Carolina is unbeaten in six matches at home, with every defeat in the Courage's 5-7-1 record suffered at away matches. Additionally, North Carolina only allowed one goal from an opponent on home turf, in their first match of the season March 16. Conversely, the Red Stars have scored at least once in every away fixture this season, making it a showdown to see which side will blink first. The scales could be tipping slightly in Chicago's favor, as North Carolina is scoreless in their last three matches (2L, 1D) and the Red Stars have scored more goals (18) with more individual goal scorers (9) than the Courage (13 goals, 8 goal scorers). Mallory Swanson's sixth-minute goal June 14 sharpens the edge further, extending Chicago's regular-season scoring streak on the road to nine consecutive matches. With so many streaks at stake, June 23 will surely be an intense battle from start to finish.

Woah, We're Halfway There: With 13 matches under their belt, the Red Stars are at the halfway point of the season. The club currently sits almost squarely in the middle of the league table, in sixth place with 17 points. The club currently ranks fifth in goals scored this season (18), though they are one of two teams currently in a playoff position with a negative goal differential (-1). While the team's road record has helped them stay in good position on the league table, the Red Stars are still behind Washington and Gotham in road wins (4 to 3) and have only managed to draw twice on the road compared to the three draws by Kansas City and Orlando. Chicago, however, is third in possession won in the defensive third and first in clearances. The Red Stars are also fourth in assists (12) and second in shot conversion rate (13.85). Halfway through the season, the stats support the reality of the Red Stars as a mid-table team. The NWSL season, as any longtime fan knows, is long and everyone's luck can change game to game. Stay tuned, the Stars are just getting started.

Rookies on the Rise: Red Stars rookie Jameese Joseph will be a short distance from her not-so-old stomping grounds of NC State University with a chance to show off for familiar fans June 23. Joseph and the rest of the Red Stars rookie class have been shining while earning respectable playing time in recent matches, consistently ranking in the top 5 players on both ends of the field. Joseph has the best passing accuracy (74.6 percent) among Red Stars rookies in 2024, is tied with midfielder Leilanni Nesbeth for highest expected goals (0.31) from a rookie, and has created more chances (4) for Chicago than any other rookie. With more playing time than any other rookie, Nesbeth has already scored her first professional goal, ranks third in tackles among all Red Stars (21), and has taken more shots (6) than any other first-year Red Star. Additionally, Hannah Anderson has rotated into Chicago's starting lineup for the club's two most recent matches, ranking third on the Red Stars in completed passes (18) and rocketing off a shot June 14. The 2024 Red Stars draft class is only just getting started in their careers and their futures are shining bright.

Check out the Chicago Stars FC Statistics

• Discuss this story on the National Women's Soccer League message board...

National Women's Soccer League Stories from June 23, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central