Chicago Red Stars Notebook: Wrigley Week, Hannah Anderson on NWSL Debut, More

When the Chicago Red Stars host Bay FC at Wrigley Field on Saturday, the match will be about more than just soccer.

The Red Stars, who have sold tens of thousands of tickets for this standalone event, are using this as a proof-of-concept event in the hopes of enticing public favor for their own stadium in Chicago.

The match represents a massive opportunity for the Red Stars to grow their footprint in Chicago while giving fans the chance to see the team actually play within the city limits.

Now, there’s still a match to be played on Saturday with Bay FC coming to town looking to avenge their 2-1 loss on May 6 in San Jose.

Alyssa Naeher’s status remains in the air days before the match after she missed out on the Red Stars’ final two games before the international break with a thigh injury. If she can’t go, expect Mackenzie Wood to get the start only a short drive away from where she played her undergraduate soccer at Northwestern.

Regular starters Mallory Swanson, Sam Staab, and Natalia Kuikka are expected to be available in a regular capacity after competing during the international break .

Related: Mallory Swanson, Sam Staab Thrived with USWNT During International Window

Yes, the match at Wrigley Field is already going to be a spectacle. But a win, and an exciting one at that, will keep fans coming back.

From the rest of my notebook:

Hannah Anderson on NWSL debut

Hannah Anderson finally made her NWSL debut in the Red Stars’ 1-0 loss to Racing Louisville on May 25, replacing Maxi Rall in the 81st minute as a defender on the right side. Chicago’s 2024 third-round pick discussed the experience ahead of this weekend's match.

“I was so excited,” Anderson told On Tap Sports Net at the Red Stars’ pre-Wrigley event at Murphy’s Bleachers. “I felt like I was ready, I felt confident in my abilities and I felt like the timing was perfect.

“I knew that there was a plan to it and my time would come, I just knew that I needed to be ready and I felt prepared. I was honestly just excited. And that it was at home, it was perfect.”

Her family in Texas was watching feverishly while trying to answer calls coming in from everywhere about Anderson’s debut.

“They were all together. My dad was obviously watching, my mom was watching. My uncle called my mom. My sister was telling everyone to shut up, to have everyone watch the screen. So it was super cool. My family’s the best. They’re my number one supporters.”

With the NWSL season nearing its halfway point, Anderson believes unity within the squad is going to be the key for them going forward.

“It's such a long season that I feel like us just having each other’s backs and building off each other every day. Wanting to get better every day at practice, that’s what’s going to help us go far and hit the goals we want to hit.”

Emma Hayes on Alyssa Naeher

Alyssa Naeher wasn’t healthy enough to participate in the first United States Women’s National Team camp under new head coach Emma Hayes due to the aforementioned injury. Hayes assured reporters during a press conference that the two-time World Cup winner would have been included in her camp if she were healthy.

“If she wasn’t injured, she would for sure be in this camp.”

That’s a massive vote of confidence for Naeher from the new USWNT manager ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris.

Serious Journalism

At the Red Stars pre-Wrigley match event at Murphy’s Bleachers, this reporter asked four Red Stars “if I ordered a [insert player name] at the bar, what would I receive?”

Here’s what they said:

Hannah Anderson: A light beer, Miller Lite if looking for a specific one.

Ally Cook: Alcohol option = vodka soda, Diet Coke otherwise.

Leilanni Nesbeth: A Shirley Temple a la Leilanni is when you “add like 13 cherries in there, extra grenadine, and a shot of lime.”

Ally Schlegel: A gin and tonic or a tequila and sprite if you don’t enjoy alcohol that originated as a medicinal liquid in Europe.

What’s On Tap Next?

The Red Stars host Bay FC at Wrigley Field on Saturday. The match is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 PM CT and will air on ION.

Follow @soccer_ontap on X for more Chicago Red Stars news and updates!