A couple of firsts Sunday led to the Chicago Stars earning their first win of the season, as last season’s NWSL cellar-dwellers held on to defeat the Kansas City Current 2-1 in Evanston, Ill.
Rookie Tessa Dellarose and Jordyn Huitema, acquired 10 days ago from the Seattle Reign, both scored their first goals for the Stars (1-1-0, 3 points), while Haley Hopkins put the Current (1-1-0, 3 points) on the board.
Playing in chilly, windswept conditions along Lake Michigan, the Stars beat Kansas City for the first time in nearly three years, ending an 0-5-2 run against last season’s Shield recipients.
Dellarose made her first start a memorable one by converting a Sam Staab corner kick in the 43rd minute. Staab’s kick bounced off the torso of Current defender Gabrielle Robinson and right to the 21-year-old, who used a raised leg inside the 6-yard box to beat Current goalkeeper Lorena.
Huitema doubled Chicago’s advantage in the 50th minute with a sharp run into the box to head Ryan Gareis’ cross before Lorena could receive it.
Hopkins, who entered the match to start the second half, made it 2-1 seven minutes later as she was alone inside the 6-yard box and easily put home the Izzy Rodriguez cross for her first goal of the season.
Rodriguez had a chance in the 12th minute, but her shot from 12 yards out was set aside by Stars keeper Alyssa Naeher for the only save of the match by either teams’ goalie.
Kansas City outshot Chicago 10-4, but both teams finished with two shots on goal.
–Field Level Media
