**BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.** – The Chicago Red Stars responded to back-to-back losses to start the season with an emphatic 4-2 win over the Kansas City Current. The Current have now dropped three straight in the same span as the hosts put four goals on the sheet, the second straight week Kansas City has conceded four goals. Chicago scored their four between the fourth and 67 ^th minutes, and Kansas City’s answered goals in the 74 ^th and 97 ^th minute were nothing more than consolation in the end.
Off to the races early, it was Kansas City rookie Michelle Cooper who had the first quality look goal as she broke through the defense in the third minute. A split pass had sent Cooper straight up the field where she got behind a pair of Chicago defenders and lined up a shot on goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. Dragging a right-footed shot across goal, Cooper missed just to the left of the post as the early chance went missing.
Instead, just about 50 seconds later, Chicago forward Ella Stevens put the hosts in front as she cleaned up a loose ball in the box and beat goalkeeper AD Franch with a low drive at the near post. Chicago had found space on the right side and were able to swing a cross into the penalty area that a Kansas City defender was able to stop in place. However, that left Stevens an opportunity to pounce on the ball and she drove her shot around a set of Kansas City bodies in front of her to open the scoring.
Kansas City was not shy in doing all they could to find a way back into the game, though. Midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta had a shot go high and wide of the top corner in the 14 ^th minute and Chardonnay Curran’s header off LaBonta’s set-piece delivery in the 31 ^st minute landed inches wide of the near post. However, the visitors could not find enough to bring the game back level and went into the halftime break down a goal.
Into the second half, Chicago jumped out to a two-goal lead after rookie Penelope Hocking converted a low, left-footed effort to the far post in the 49 ^th minute. Chicago had been applying pressure on the Kansas City goal in the moments prior, and as Stevens slipped Hocking in following a recovery in the attacking half, Hocking produced a cool finish to slide her shot past Franch and into goal.
Then, right on the hour mark, Chicago added a third through forward Chenya Matthews, who powered a right-footed shot toward the near post that Franch was unable to keep out. By rule, as the shot deflected off the near post and then off Franch and in, the goal is ruled as a Kansas City own goal. Matthews had the ball on the right side and was driving at the Current defense, where she created enough space for the shot just inside the box. From there, the ball did the rest as it ricocheted off both the post and Franch on its way in.
Adding to Kansas City’s misery, Chicago then scored their fourth and final goal in the 67 ^th minute as Hocking completed her brace with a poised right-footed finish toward the far post on the break. Hocking was fed through the middle by teammate Cheyna Matthews, and as she reached it she had just enough time for a single touch to gain composure. From there, Hocking lifted her effort over and around Franch as SeatGeek Stadium had four goals to cheer about with just over 20 minutes to play.
Of course, Kansas City would not go quietly as Naeher was tested by Cooper from close range in the 71 ^st minute to begin the Current’s flurry of chances. In the 74 ^th minute, new signing Debinha would convert with a delicate chip over Naeher from a few yards out to pull one back. Forward Mimmi Larsson saw the overlapping run of Debinha in the left side of the box and played her in, and the Brazilian worked her way forward before precisely lifting the ball over a sliding Naeher and in.
Then, though too little too late, Kansas City scored their second and final goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time as Chicago failed to clear a set piece leaving the ball at Larsson’s feet from about 10 yards out. As a deep ball was sent into the box, it landed on the knee of a Chicago defender before falling into the path of Larsson. She then wasted no time and drove a left-footed shot past Naeher, though the goal remained inconsequential to the result.
The win means Chicago are unbeaten in six regular season meetings with the Current (W5 D1), though Kansas City is unbeaten in three Challenge Cup matches against the Red Stars. The result also helps Chicago avoid its first three-match regular season losing streak since August 2019.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights