Chicago Red Stars vs North Carolina Courage: Week 15 Preview

Despite still being above the playoff line, the Chicago Red Stars are entering a tough “gut-check” time over the next few weeks. Rory Dames has coached the Red Stars for about a decade, never dropping below a winning record. However, with certain circumstances out of their control and other certain circumstances very much fumbled while under their control, Dames’ Red Stars have the potential to find a way to their first losing season. There to try and force it is a North Carolina Courage team that went on a tear after an early season loss in Chicago. Here is the injury report.

Vanessa DiBernardo will remain out for this one for the Chicago Red Stars, while Morgan Gaurtrat will also be out after her injury in the game against the Orlando Pride. Daniele Colaprico’s injury from last week is also sticking around, but she’s only listed as questionable alongside Arin Wright. And, for both teams, the National Team players will still be away for at least another week or so.

Here are three things going into this one.

Injury Bomb

Last week was absolutely devastating for the Chicago Red Stars medically. Morgan Gautrat has been fairly healthy during her time in Chicago, despite having a history of being injury prone. And while Daniele Colaprico has had some other issues recently, she’s always been a solid starter every single week. Losing both of them in a single game is going to hurt, especially when combined with Vanessa DiBernardo’s continued absence. At the beginning of the season, that was the midfield three that coach Rory Dames described as “very hard to break up”. Now, at least two and likely none of them will be playing.

The return of the National Team players is still a ways away for the Red Stars, meaning that not only are they dealing with an issue of depth on the defense, but they’re now going to struggle to figure out who will be in the midfield. There’s always the option of a formation change, but even then you need to balance who will be on the bench. That game last week will have a major effect on the rest of the season and possibly on the future of the club if things get even worse.

Impending Playoff Implications

With the season now past its halfway point, the Chicago Red Stars now have 10 games to try to solidify a playoff position for themselves. At the moment, they are above the red line at 5th, but the difference between 8th and 2nd is only 4 points. In fact, the Red Stars are only 5th on goal differential, currently tied on points with Orlando in 4th and Gotham in 3rd. Things are extremely tight for the Red Stars at the moment.

Having played the most games out of the rest of the league right now, Chicago is at a steep disadvantage, with teams like Racing Louisville, Washington Spirit, and OL Reign set to likely overtake them soon. The only thing that the Red Stars can do is win. That’s really all that any sports team can do when it comes down to making the playoffs. And unfortunately, they don’t look like a team that can really win games at the moment.

Becoming Professional

This isn’t about the game specifically, I just wanted to take a moment to talk about the National Women’s Soccer League in general. Right now, the NWSL is dealing with five different scandals mostly involving issues of player harassment, a CBA negotiation that seems to be leaning in the wrong direction, and is also having to grapple with growing complaints from players and coaches around the league about the officiating on almost a daily basis. The NWSL has the official designation of a professional sports league and they can call themselves that all they want. But right now, the entire set up just looks so amateur and is hurting the image of the sport.

I’m not someone who can bring up solutions to such complex topics that are plaguing the league, but it doesn’t take much for someone even just vaguely following the league to see what an absolute mess it’s in. And that sort of image doesn’t make players want to play for you, it doesn’t make fans want to watch you, and it doesn’t make sponsors want to support you. Players are getting injured because of poor officiating and some have been forced out of a game they love not just because of abuse from certain individuals in power, but because many of these players aren’t even getting a living wage from their teams.

If the NWSL wants to fully be viewed as professional, they are a long way from that goal. And they need to start working on that now.

Projected XI

Chicago Red Stars (4-3-3): Cassie Miller; Tatumn Milazzo, Sarah Gorden, Kayla Sharples, Alyssa Mautz; Ella Stevens, Nikki Stanton, Sarah Woldmoe; Kealia Watt, Rachel Hill, Mallory Pugh

North Carolina Courage (4-4-2): Casey Murphy; Merritt Mathias, Kaleigh Kurtz, Abby Erceg, Carson Pickett; Meredith Speck, Denise O’Sullivan, Angharad James, Havana Solaun; Amy Rodriguez, Jessica McDonald

How To Watch

Sunday, August 15th, 5:00 PM CDT; At WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC, online on Paramount+