RECAP: A Lifeless Loss for the Stars in San Diego, 6-1
The Chicago Stars have all but confirmed a last-place finish in the NWSL.
It’s a fitting outcome for what’s been a year to forget.
The playoffs have long been out of reach, and the focus has turned to next year. Regardless, what happened on Saturday evening is inexcusable, even for a club with nothing to play for.
The Stars were run off the pitch by the San Diego Wave, who won 6-1 to clinch a playoff spot.
While one team celebrated, the other pondered the million things that had gone wrong.
No Will to Win
For about 20 seconds on Saturday, the Stars looked like they could pull off an upset victory. Straight from kickoff, a lovely team move ended with Nadia Gomes forcing a reflex save out of Kailen Sheridan. Unfortunately, that’s as much attacking intent as Chicago showed in the first half.
Just inside seven minutes, the Stars put on a poor display of one-on-one defending, allowing San Diego to take the lead. Delphine Cascarino pounced on a loose ball and put it in the back of Alyssa Naeher’s abandoned net, making it 1-0 to the Wave.
Yet another defensive lapse allowed the California side to go up 2-0 in the 15th minute. A horribly unfortunate deflection off Sam Staab left the Stars’ back line with nothing to do but watch it sail into the goal. Just three minutes later, the score was 3-0, and again, the Chicago defense was to blame. Dudinha was allowed to take far too many touches inside the box before placing a perfect finish past Naeher.
Halftime couldn’t come soon enough for the visitors, but before they were given a reprieve, the Wave added another goal to their tally. Just before the whistle, Kenza Dali’s free kick delivery was met by Kristen McNabb, whose header made it 4-0.
Stars Swept Away
Both the game and the Stars’ season were already over by the time the teams returned for the second half. The Wave remained hungry, however, while the Stars’ defense looked as disheveled and disoriented as ever. While goal number five (scored in the 57th minute) was credited to Dudinha, it was really a deflection off Katrin Hendrich, whose last-ditch clearance attempt was unsuccessful. Chicago had previously let multiple opportunities to clear the danger slip away.
After a period of possession for the Stars, they finally got on the board. Seventy-one minutes in, Bea Franklin’s speed and unrelenting effort allowed her to get a touch on a through ball from Ally Schlegel, putting the ball past Sheridan. The 25-year-old’s strike did not inspire any sort of miracle comeback, though. Dali put the finishing touch on the game with a well-taken finish from just inside the box.
Is it Over Yet?
Stars fans will be counting down the days until the season is over. They’ve now conceded 53 goals this season and remain stuck on two wins from 25 games. 2026, in a lot of ways, will be a hard reset.
New head coach Martin Sjorgen (the club’s fifth in 12 months) will try to rebuild his squad and institute a winning culture. The club will also be leaving Seatgeek Stadium for Northwestern University and the Evanston lakefront.
Before the Stars can put 2025 in the rear-view mirror, they have one more game left to play. They host fellow sufferers Angel City on Saturday, November 1st, after the NWSL’s international break ends.
Chicago will hope to end a miserable season on a high note.
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