Mallory Swanson Scores again, Red Stars Defeat Houston Dash 1-0

Mallory Swanson capitalized on a mistake from the Houston Dash in first-half stoppage time to score her fourth goal in as many matches, propelling the Chicago Red Stars to a 1-0 win at home.

Swanson now has seven goals in 2024 for the Red Stars as she and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher will now depart the club as they prepare for the Summer Olympics with the United States Women’s National Team.

The Red Stars defended well throughout and Naeher was able to collect her second consecutive clean sheet and third for Chicago in 2024 before going for Gold with the USWNT in France later this month.

The match was largely played without much action in front of each goal until the Red Stars took the 1-0 lead for good in the first minute of first-half stoppage time.

Leilanni Nesbeth intercepted a terrible back pass from Ramona Bachmann deep in Houston’s own half of the field and immediately turned and found Mallory Swanson with a pass. Swanson cut to her left before hitting a perfect left-footed effort into the corner of the net, sending the crowd into a full-on celebration just before halftime.

The second half was similar to the first but neither side was able to break through for a second goal.

Jameese Joseph came on for the Red Stars at the break and made an instant impact in the attacking half of the pitch. Joseph hit a perfect cross from the right side in the 48th minute that Jenna Bike headed on goal but Jane Campbell was there to deny the point-blank effort and maintain the one-goal margin.

The Dash created one final chance in the 87th minute when Bachmann played a perfect ball to Diana Ordóñez in front of the Red Stars' goal but Naeher was there to slide in and prevent Ordóñez from tying the match.

Swanson nearly made it 2-0 in the match’s dying moments but her effort was saved by Campbell to secure the match’s final 1-0 scoreline.

Match Observations

The Dash had the first solid chance of the match in the 13th minute but failed to test Alyssa Naeher despite Michelle Alozie’s wonderful run and cross that created it all. Alozie made a strong run down the right side toward the endline before hitting a perfectly weighted cross to Avery Patterson on the opposite side of Chicago’s penalty area. Patterson got too much air on her header and completely skied the net, wasting a fabulous chance to score her side’s first goal in more than four matches.

Houston had another fabulous chance in the 22nd minute before the Red Stars had hardly tested the Dash’s backline. Tatumn Milazzo’s pass from inside her own half of the pitch was intercepted by former Red Stars attacker Yuki Nagasato in the middle of the pitch. Yuki hit a lovely ball right in front of Chicago’s net but Diana Ordóñez couldn’t get a toe on the ball and it ended up bouncing off Alyssa Naeher. The loose ball was eventually cleared by Sam Staab but not before the Dash wreaked a little havoc in front of Chicago’s net.

The Red Stars technically registered their first shot on goal in the 28th minute but it didn’t change the scoreline in Bridgeview. Mallory Swanson had the ball on the right side and hit a shot that was flying towards the far post before Jane Campbell tipped it out for a corner kick. Leileinni Nesbeth managed to hit the back of the net off the subsequent corner kick, but she was well offside and the goal was waved off.

Ally Schlegel continually pressured Houston’s backline and nearly created a goal through that relentless effort in the 42nd minute. Schlegel deflected Jane Campbell’s attempted clearance perfectly to Mallory Swanson, who quickly made the long pass to Jenna Bike on the right side. Bike won a corner kick for the Red Stars but the subsequent set-piece only led to a Swanson shot that flew harmlessly over the Dash’s net.

The Red Stars finally struck gold in the first minute of first-half stoppage time after a terrible turnover from the Dash. Leilanni Nesbeth secured the ball after a poor pass from Ramona Bachmann deep in Houston’s own half of the pitch and promptly hit the ball to Mallory Swanson on her right. Swanson took a few dribbles to her left before burying a left-footed effort into the top corner of Houston’s net to give her side the 1-0 lead at halftime. Chicago had very little going forward before halftime but all they needed was one bad mistake from the Dash to take the lead.

Houston outshot the Red Stars nine-three before halftime and had three on-target efforts to only two for Chicago. In classic Red Stars fashion, they only completed 119 passes before the break while Houston completed 224.

Jameese Joseph came on for Ally Schlegel, who started after missing the last two matches with an illness, after halftime and created a near-instant impact for the Red Stars in Houston’s penalty area. Joseph did well to fight off her defender on the right side before hitting a cross to the far post in the 48th minute. Jenna Bike headed Joseph’s cross on goal but Jane Campbell covered her goal well and pushed Bike’s effort away from goal.

The Red Stars tried to get a little creative after a throw in the 72nd minute but couldn’t connect the passes to complete the play. The throw was taken short to Bea Franklin on the right and she hit a cross into the Dash’s penalty area with bodies near it. Hannah Anderson only managed to get a glancing header on the ball and it flew harmlessly away from goal in the opposite direction of Chicago’s attackers.

Jameese Joseph collected her first professional goal contributions in Chicago’s win over San Diego last weekend and continued to create for her side throughout her appearance against Houston. Joseph made a massive run with the ball through the middle of the pitch in the 75th minute before cutting to the right and hitting a very hard shot on target. Jane Campbell was there to collect Joseph’s effort with relative ease, but Chicago’s 2024 second-round pick did well to create that chance all by herself.

Houston had a fabulous chance to tie the match in the 87th minute but Alyssa Naeher was there to make the sliding intervention to maintain the clean sheet. Barbara Olivieri played a pass that Ramona Bachmann quickly hit toward Chicago’s goal. Diana Ordóñez slid in but somehow didn’t get a touch on the ball before Naeher slid in to thwart the goal-scoring opportunity.

Taylor Malham came on for Tatumn Milazzo at right back in the 85th minute and helped her side nearly double their lead in the 90th minute. Malham made a run down the right side before hitting a cross right in front of the goal that Mallory Swanson deflected on target. Unfortunately for the Red Stars, Jane Campbell was right there to deny Swanson’s effort and maintain the 1-0 margin as the match entered six minutes of second-half stoppage time.

The Red Stars were outshot 17-8 overall and Houston had six on-target efforts to only four for Chicago.

Leilanni Nesbeth's assist was the first of her professional career and the first assist for a Bermudian player in NWSL history.

Alyssa Naeher made six saves en route to her third clean sheet of the 2024 NWSL season.

“I'm super proud of the team tonight,” said Naeher. “We hadn't had a shutout since the opening game of the season. So it was really important to us and for us to keep a clean sheet.

“We just defended, defended, defended. I think our backline cleared balls, blocked balls, headed balls out, obviously, and a big part of that. Sam [Staab], [Natalia Kuikka] and Tatum [Milazzo] back there. I think they just fully committed to it and team defending starts from the top down and I think it just feels good to get the back-to-back shutouts and wins for sure, especially going into the break.”

Naeher had to go against former teammate Yuki Nagasato for the first time since she left the club in the offseason and it was a bittersweet reunion for the goalkeeper.

“Yuki is one of one of my favorite teammates that I've ever had. So obviously a tremendous amount of respect for her game as well. Within that, obviously we know the type of talent that she brings and the creativity that she brings. Not the first time played against her. She was in Louisville obviously for a couple years but definitely prefer to have her on my side than against her.”

Hannah Anderson made her fifth consecutive start for the Red Stars at center back and was throwing her body in front of any ball that got near her as the match wound down. She only allowed herself to focus on what was in front of her and that helped her succeed against Houston.

“It's just one play at a time,” said Anderson. “Obviously everyone was defending for a while, but once you get that one block, then you're on to the next and just helping your teammates out, especially in the heat today.”

Red Stars head coach Lorne Donaldson was thrilled his side collected their second consecutive win.

“Anytime you keep a couple clean slates it's very, very good,” said Donaldson. “Hopefully going forward, offensively, we can add a little bit more, and we will talk about it. I don't want to drain it. You know, we know we can score a goal or two but we gotta get a little bit more possession higher.”

What’s On Tap Next?

The Red Stars will not play another NWSL regular season on August 24 but will be back in action in the NWSL X LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup on July 20.

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