Chicago Red Stars Still Adjusting to New Players with 4 Matches Remaining

The Chicago Red Stars need a result on the road as they take on bottom-of-the-table Houston Dash on Friday night in Texas.

Chicago is a squad that’s adjusting on the fly and it will need its pieces to be at top level should it want to leave Friday’s match with all three points.

The pieces are there for Chicago (9-2-11, 29 points, 6th in the NWSL) after bringing in Julia Grosso and Ludmila after the Summer Olympics. Grosso’s passing and Ludmila’s ability to flip the match on its head are exactly what the Red Stars have needed in their attack alongside Mallory Swanson.

The squad is adjusting on the fly and that’s begun to pay dividends. Ludmila has already scored two goals and has repeatedly showcased her skillset that may have her as the most crucial signing in the summer window for any NWSL side.

Rosella Ayane signed in August from Tottenham, officially joined the team on loan from Tottenham, and was introduced to the home crowd ahead of the match against San Diego Wave on Sept. 21. Red Stars head coach Lorne Donaldson said after their most recent match that Ayane is still adjusting to the squad in training. With only four regular season matches remaining and the Red Stars leading the seventh and eighth seeds by a single point, Chicago needs all its options if it wants to qualify for the postseason.

Chicago will face off against NWSL cellar dwellers Houston Dash, who finally moved on from head coach Fran Alonso this week and officially named Rickey Clarke their interim coach (though he’s already been in that role for months). The Red Stars won the reverse fixture 1-0 thanks to Mallory Swanson’s goal, though Chicago’s number nine hasn’t scored in the five NWSL matches she’s played in following the first match against the Dash.

Red Stars head coach Lorne Donaldson doesn’t expect anything to be easy for his side against a scrappy Houston side.

“They're still mathematically there,” Donaldson said during his weekly media availability. “They're not out of the playoffs. Even if it's playoffs or not playoffs, there are players who want to play, and there's a lot of pride in this league. They're going to come out and try to get a result, and we have to be ready for the fight.”

How to Watch Chicago Red Stars vs. Houston Dash

Who: Chicago Red Stars vs. Houston Dash

When: October 4, 2024 at 7:00 PM CT

Where: Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, Texas

How to Watch: NWSL+

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