Gretchen Schneider/Chicago Stars FC
The Chicago Stars opened the second half of the NWSL season with one of their strongest performances of the year. The hosts defeated the Utah Royals 3-2 Sunday night at Ryan Field behind a brace from Jordyn Huitema and a late winning goal in the closing minutes.
The victory, played in front of 4,156 fans, marked Chicago's fourth win of the season and third at home. More importantly, the win showed a team that looked more than prepared after the league break, overcoming two Utah equalizers before finally putting the match away and making a point.
The Stars wasted little time testing Utah's defense. Chicago’s Mallory Swanson was active early, creating opportunities from the sides and delivering dangerous corner kicks as Chicago searched for an early breakthrough.
Utah responded with organized defending of its own, keeping numbers behind the ball while looking to counterattack. Both teams really wanted this win, and fought tooth and nail for each goal.
Chicago goalkeeper Katie Atkinson was called into action in the 12th minute, making her first save of the night after Utah found its first quality scoring opportunity.
The response was loud from fans as they shouted and raised their blue noisemakers. The Royals continued to pressure the Stars through the air, using headers to create distance before Chicago settled into possession.
The breakthrough finally came in the 20th minute.
Midfielder Brianna Pinto found Jordyn making a run into the attacking third and delivered a perfectly timed pass that caught Utah’s back line off guard. Jordyn quickly finished the chance for her third goal of the season, giving Chicago a 1-0 advantage.
The goal created a strong opening for the Stars, who controlled much of the first half through strategic timing and quick passing.
Chicago's defense continued to block Utah's attacks throughout the half. Defender Aaliyah Farmer made a key block in the 25th minute, throwing her body in front of a quick attempt to preserve the lead.
The physicality increased as halftime approached. Pinto received a yellow card in the 42nd minute. One minute later, Utah capitalized on an attacking opportunity when Cloé Lacasse scored the equalizer, sending the teams into halftime tied 1-1. Stars fans weren’t happy about this as the crowd groaned loudly.
Utah carried that momentum into the second half, forcing Atkinson into another save early before earning several dangerous chances around Chicago's penalty area.
The Royals eventually made a goal in the 55th minute, upsetting the home crowd and putting the Stars in the familiar position of chasing the match.
This time, however, Chicago responded, and all that work during the break really showed through.
Minutes later, defender Sam Staab delivered one of the night's biggest moments. She was awarded a free kick from outside the box, and struck her first goal of the season. This tied the match 2-2 in the 61st minute.
Jordyn Huitema made it known that this wasn’t an accident, but a representation of hard work.
"I had the perfect view," she said after the match. "She hits those all the time. It's so crazy."
The equalizer injected life back into Chicago and the fans, the Stars nearly found another goal moments later while continuing to pressure Utah's defense.
The match became increasingly physical during the final 30 minutes. Jordyn remained in the game after taking a blow to the head, while another sequence in the 67th minute briefly slowed the Stars' momentum after a player went down during an attacking opportunity.
Swanson remained dangerous throughout the second half, repeatedly finding opportunities for her teammates like Nadia Gomes, and several corner kicks kept pressure on Utah's back line.
Atkinson came up with another important save in the 71st minute before Utah answered with opportunities of its own, including a chance that ended up too wide following a corner kick.
With the match appearing headed toward a draw, Chicago gathered up all their energy and produced one final attack.
In the 89th minute, Nadia Gomes delivered a pass that found Jordyn inside the penalty area. Jordyn finished it to record her first brace as a Chicago Star, sending the home crowd into celebration and giving Chicago a 3-2 lead they will not forget.
After the final whistle, Jordyn credited the team's hard work and training during the international break for their victory.
"I think this game really started to show it," she said. "We've always known what this team has to offer. This was kind of a fresh start for the second half of the season."
Jordyn said the team spent the break honestly evaluating its first half of the season.
"We took a step back and reflected on what our first half looked like," she said. "We worked really hard. We had hard conversations. We really did the work, and it's showing."
Head coach Martin Sjögren said those two weeks allowed the Stars to reset both mentally and tactically.
"I think everyone needed a break," Sjögren said. "When we came back together, everyone had a really positive mindset."
Nadia Gomes echoed this when asked about embracing her role as fullback.
“I want to thank my teammates, especially that back line for helping me a lot. Sam talks to me all the time, helps me, and I feel more confident,” she said.
When we asked what the team emphasized during the break, Sjögren pointed to a return to the fundamentals.
"We've been talking quite much just about basics," he said. "Sticking together defensively, helping each other, communicating, running for each other, tackling for each other. I think we showed that today."
The coach was particularly impressed with how his players responded after surrendering the lead in the second half.
"Earlier in the season, when we gave up a goal, we sometimes gave up another one or two," Sjögren said. "Today we showed high morale, turned things around and deserved the win."
Sjögren also praised the growing health of his roster, which allowed him to bring quality players off the bench while welcoming back stars like Mallory Swanson.
"Just having Mal on the pitch gives the rest of the players a positive feeling because we know we'll always be a threat," he said.
Jordyn, whose two goals moved her past her combined scoring total from the previous two seasons, believes the Stars are beginning to find their identity.
"We have strengths all around the field," she said. "The relationships keep building, and this team is going to be very tough to beat."
Chicago will look to carry that momentum into Friday's road match against Boston as it continues its push up the NWSL standings.
