Chicago City Wire

Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson earned her second-consecutive National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Goal of the Week award, the league announced today.

In the opening minute of first-half stoppage time of Chicago’s July 6 home match against the Houston Dash, Dash midfielder and former Red Star Yuki Nagasato passed the ball to teammate Ramona Bachmann. Immediate pressure from Red Stars Bea Franklin and Tatumn Milazzo held Bachmann off from moving the ball out of Houston’s defensive end. Bachmann attempted to pass backward and reset the play to gain advantage, but Chicago midfielder and rookie Leilanni Nesbeth ran forward to intercept the ball. Immediately identifying Mallory Swanson with yards of open field behind her, Nesbeth took a one-touch pass that angled itself tightly behind Nagasato and into the empty space. Tracking the ball, Swanson promptly reversed course and dribbled more centrally while Houston’s defense frantically backtracked. As the Dash back line closed in, Swanson spotted a gap between two defenders and rocketed off a powerful left-footed shot just outside the 18-yard box. Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell dove left to attempt a save, but the ball was lofted too high to stop, flying into the top left corner of the net.

Swanson’s fourth goal in as many games ties the longest single-season goalscoring streak in Red Stars history (Sam Kerr in 2018, Jen Hoy in 2014) and marked the Colorado native’s 50th regular-season goal contribution (33 goals, 17 assists). At 26 years and 68 days old, Swanson is the fourth-youngest player in NWSL history to reach this milestone, behind Sophia Smith, Sam Kerr, and Lynn Williams. Swanson earns this honor for a second consecutive week after receiving it in Week 14 for her 67th-minute goal against San Diego Wave FC on June 28. Chicago rookies set up both award-winning goals; Jameese Joseph recorded an assist on June 28 while Leilanni Nesbeth earned an assist on July 6—the first by a Bermudian national in NWSL history.

Additionally, Swanson is only the second Red Star to win back-to-back weekly NWSL honors; defender Tatumn Milazzo previously achieved this by earning NWSL Save of the Week awards presented by Deloitte in Weeks 4 and 5.

Swanson and Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher now join the United States Olympic Women’s Soccer Team for a pair of send-off matches prior to the Paris Olympics. The Red Stars next host New Jersey/New York Gotham FC on July 20 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois. They will welcome two-time Olympian Julia Grosso along with Naeher and Swanson back to Chicago on September 8 when they host Orlando Pride.

Tickets for all Chicago Red Stars home matches can be purchased at chicagoredstars.com/tickets.