A Mid-Season Assessment of the Chicago Stars
The NWSL’s summer break is winding down.
The Chicago Stars are returning to the pitch in just 10 days’ time.
Fans will be hoping that the second half of the season brings a change in fortunes for the club. The Stars have changed coaches twice and managed just one win in 13 games to start the year.
Let’s examine what has gone wrong so far and whether there’s any hope for Chicago.
Attacking Problems in Wake of Swanson’s Absence
The biggest problem for this Stars squad in 2025 has been the utter lack of goals scored. The team is averaging less than a goal a game. In last week’s Teal Rising Cup, Chicago failed to score in both games. They fell to 1-0 defeats against Brazilian sides Palmeiras and Corinthians.
Mallory Swanson has been away from the team all year, awaiting the birth of her first child. She will likely not return until 2026. To say Swanson is important for the team would be an understatement. In 69 games for the Stars, the striker has scored 24 goals and contributed 14 assists. No one has come close to matching her impact this year.
The Stars’ issues in front of the goal are reminiscent of the 2023 season, during which Swanson missed most of the season due to injury. Chicago finished in last place that year before returning to the playoffs in 2024.
With Swanson out of the picture, the team’s biggest star has undoubtedly been Ludmila. The Brazilian has scored four of Chicago’s 10 goals this season, including a brace against the Seattle Reign in June. While she’s served as a number nine at times and done well, Ludmila is a natural winger. In an ideal world, she takes on a more creative role, and Swanson serves as the finisher up top. Unfortunately, Stars fans will have to wait until 2026 to see that combination again.
Defensive Reinforcements Secured
While the Stars have made no summer moves to bolster their attack, they are strengthening the back line. For a team that’s conceded the second-most goals in the league, this is a rare bit of good news. Two new signings are in the squad for the second half of 2025.
Kathrin Kendrich
Established center-back Kathrin Hendrich was signed from German side Wolfsburg in June. She will join the team immediately after the ongoing UEFA Women’s Euro, where she is representing Germany.
While she’s been in the center of attention for all the wrong reasons recently (she picked up a violent conduct red card in Saturday’s quarterfinal against France), Hendrich is a stellar addition to the Stars.
Samantha Cary Angel
The second addition to the back line is 24-year-old Samantha Cary Angel, signed from Norkopping in Sweden. While not as high-profile a signing as Hendrich, Angel is an important depth piece. Her ability to play both as a left-back and as a center-back will make her a valuable part of the team.
Coaching Question Marks
It’s been a tumultuous season for the Stars’ coaching staff. Lorne Donaldson, who led the team to an 8th-place finish last year, was sacked six games into the new season. It seemed like a logical decision given that the Stars had earned just three points from those six games. Donaldson’s assistant, Masaki Hemmi, came in as an interim replacement.
Fast-forward to July 1st, and Hemmi was on his way out, too. Unlike Donaldson, Hemmi decided to leave on his own, seeking other opportunities. Plagued by the same issues as his predecessor, Hemmi went winless in his seven games at the helm, tacking on another measly three points to Chicago’s total. The Japanese tactician’s role has since been filled by third-year assistant Ella Masar.
Nothing has gone according to plan as far as coaching is concerned. Masar’s only previous head coaching experience came at the tail end of the miserable 2023 season, when she also led the (Red) Stars on an interim basis.
Club president Karen Leetzow has made it clear that Masar is not a long-term replacement. However, with the club’s “thorough head coaching search” now in its third month, it wouldn’t be altogether surprising to see her lead the team when the NWSL resumes.
Final Thoughts
All things considered, the Stars have not done enough in the mid-season break to inspire hope in their supporters. There’s no concrete plan to rectify the attacking problems, as the team will simply have to make do with the existing options. The new defenders are much-needed, but an effective defense needs a prolific attack to win games.
The biggest problem is the coaching situation. The NWSL summer break was an ideal opportunity for a new permanent hire to get close to a full “preseason” with the squad. Instead, any manager who comes in now will be thrown straight in the deep end. That is, of course, assuming that a new coach is brought in. Masar may be looking at a half-season in charge.
At this point, only a drastic shift in form can save the Stars. Their only win of the season so far came two managers and three months ago. They’re 12 points behind the playoff line and just one point above last place. If nothing else, Chicago will hope they can show a glimpse of their potential in the second half of the season.
The Stars get back to NWSL action at home on August 1st, when they take on Gotham FC.
They’ll look to secure a good result against the New Jersey side, having drawn 0-0 away earlier in the season.
PHOTO: Matt Cashore/Imagn Images
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