Mallory Swanson is back on the pitch for the Chicago Red Stars after missing the entire season with a torn patella tendon. Naperville native Vanessa DiBernardo set a milestone for the NWSL's first women's soccer-only stadium.
Kellyn Acosta fired up the Chicago Fire with a stunning midfield goal in the 99th minute, clinching a 4-3 victory over Montreal.
Alyssa Neher has had a strong start to the year for club and national team. The U.S. Men's National Team is preparing for CONCACAF Nations League play this week.
Every other Tuesday throughout the season, Tribune writers will provide updates on what's happened and what's next for the Fire, Red Stars and local soccer.
Mallory Swanson returns from knee injury
After 343 days, Mallory Swanson is finally back on the field.
Swanson coached both the Red Stars and the U.S. Women's National Team last season, scoring seven goals in the first six games of the season for the national team. But Swanson's season plans were derailed when she tore her patella tendon in a friendly on April 8, setting her on a long road to recovery that included three surgeries and complications from an infection.
On Saturday, Swanson returned to the Red Stars' starting lineup, playing 81 minutes in the team's 2-0 win over the Utah Royals.
Swanson's husband, Dansby, the Cubs' starting shortstop, flew from spring training in Arizona to join the rest of his family in Utah.
Mallory Swanson after returning home: “Life is a beautiful blessing. Health is a blessing. This game I love is a blessing.”
Her husband, Dansby, boarded a plane from Cubs spring training to Utah in preparation for Saturday's game. It was Maru's first match in 343 days since tearing her kneecap. pic.twitter.com/TKc48kTejY
— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) March 17, 2024
After the game, Swanson posted on Instagram how grateful he was to be back on the field.
“Life is a beautiful blessing,” Swanson wrote. “Good health is a blessing. This game I love is a blessing. And in the end, I'm so grateful to be able to do what I love again.”
Swanson's next goal is to rejoin the U.S. women's national team for the Paris Olympics.
Kellyn Acosta is stunned by the winning goal in midfield
Chicago's winds aren't necessarily in the Soldier Field players' favor, but they may have assisted Kellyn Acosta's game-winning goal in Saturday's 4-3 win over Montreal.
With the scores deadlocked in the 99th minute of the match, Acosta lofted the ball from deep behind the half-line and lofted it to his team-mates, who were stuck in the box, for a final scoring attempt. But the ball remained floating all the way into the box and landed behind Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois, who desperately backpedaled and tried to flick the ball away. Acosta's unexpected goal gave the Fire a one-point lead for their first win of the season.
That's why they call it the Windy City
Chicago stoppage time scene! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/8vZQppXIHL
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 16, 2024
Vanessa DiBernardo scores milestone goal in Kansas City
Saturday was a day full of firsts for the NWSL, with the Kansas City Currents making their debut at CPKC Stadium. The stadium is the first privately funded stadium in the country built specifically for a women's professional sports team.
And Naperville native Vanessa DiBernardo made history by scoring her first goal at the historic stadium.
DiBernardo, a former Illinois State star and No. 4 pick by the Red Stars in the 2014 NWSL Draft, signed with the Currents as a free agent ahead of the 2023 season, but played in just 11 games before the season ended. He later suffered a concussion. Debinha opened the scoring in the 22nd minute on the backside after picking off a poor clearance from Portland Thorns goalie Shelby Hogan. Current won 5-4.
Current history!! ️
Vanessa DiBernardo scores the first goal at CPKC Stadium 💪 pic.twitter.com/8FxccN1ccY
— ESPN (@espn) March 16, 2024
U.S. Men's National Team advances to CONCACAF Nations League semifinals
The U.S. men's national team will face Jamaica on Thursday in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Nations League Tournament in Arlington, Texas. The team won the quarterfinal series against Trinidad and Tobago in November, advancing to the semifinals. The U.S. won the last two tournaments in 2020 and 2023.
Two Chicago Fire players, midfielder Brian Gutierrez and goaltender Chris Brady, could receive important call-ups to the U.S. national team this year, although neither were selected for the Nations League squad. . Both are from the Chicago area (Gutierrez is from Berwyn, Brady is from Naperville) and came through the Fires' academy system before signing with the first team.
Despite not being in the Nations League squad, Brady was called up on Monday for the Olympic team's friendlies against Guinea and France in March, replacing the injured Gaga Slonina.
Number of weeks: 3
Chicago Red Stars goaltender Alyssa Neher has started the year on a strong note for club and national team.
Neher saved three penalty kicks and converted one of her own in the inaugural CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup championship game on March 7, leading the U.S. to victory over Canada. .
She put in a similarly spirited performance in Saturday's Red Stars opener, making four saves and keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 win.
Alyssa Neher Appreciation Video 🧤 pic.twitter.com/lpSWuVjM3L
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) March 17, 2024
Next week: Fire
- Saturday: @ New England, 1 p.m., Apple TV
Next week: Red Stars
- Saturday: Seattle Reign, 3 p.m., NWSL+ (home opener)
Quotable
“She is the hardest-working person I have ever seen in my life.” — Chicago Red Stars head coach Lorne Donaldson talks about goaltender Alyssa Nair