U.S. women's national team forward Mallory Swanson 's first goal in nearly two years helped lift the Chicago Stars to their third win of the season.
She scored in the 70th minute in the Stars' 1-0 victory over a nine-player Bay FC in San Jose on Sunday.
Swanson, who entered the match in the second half, dribbled through Bay's defensive end before drilling the ball with her left foot into the lower corner. The goal came in her second game back since returning from maternity leave last week . It was a much-needed win for the Stars, who now sit second-to-last in the NWSL standings.
Swanson has brought an obvious boost to Chicago since returning to the pitch, with Stars head coach Martin Sjögren estimating the attacking player is still playing at only 70 percent of her full capacity. She is currently on limited minutes, slowly working her way back to being able to play a full match.
"When she comes on, then all of a sudden we create chances and we create breakthroughs," Sjögren said after the game. "It's pretty natural that she's the one that actually wins this game for us with a goal, when she breaks in and she hits it — doesn't matter if it's the left or right, she shoots.
"We all know Mal's quality, but I'm really happy for us, and I'm also really happy for her sake, because she's been away for a long time, and now we also see what kind of impact she has."
Stars goalkeeper Katie Atkinson said having Swanson back in their attack gives the team "confidence" on the pitch.
"Her leadership and what she brings to the field gives everybody energy to know that we have a threat there," Atkinson said. "It's so great, and we're so happy for her to come in and to make such an impact so early. We're really lucky to have her."
Swanson last scored for the Stars on July 6, 2024, against the Houston Dash — her seventh regular-season goal that year. She stepped away from soccer last season when she became pregnant with her first daughter, Josie James Swanson, who was born in November.
On Sunday, she exited the match prematurely in the 92nd minute, after falling to the ground while fighting for a ball near the corner. She appeared to injure her ankle. She later walked off the pitch on her own, favoring her right leg. Sjögren said her exit was "more or less a precaution."
Chicago's win marked its first on the road this season.
Bay FC ended the match with nine players, after red cards were given to defender Aldana Cometti and goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz, adding to the high tally of red cards already shown in the NWSL this year.
Cometti was shown a straight red in the 12th minute for denying a goal-scoring opportunity as the final defender. Silkowitz was shown a straight red for intentionally using her hand outside the box to keep Chicago from scoring in the 62nd minute. The Bay Area club put up a hard fight through the final whistle, nearly scoring an equalizer in the final minute of play.
Sjögren acknowledged "it would have been a totally different game" if Bay had 11 players on the pitch. "But I'm so happy that we have won this game, because we really needed it."
Chicago now returns home to face the third-place San Diego Wave on May 31. This week's victory could serve as a crucial momentum for the Stars, whose only other two wins have been at home. It will be their final match before the NWSL takes a month-long pause for the start of the men's World Cup.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic .
US Women's national team, Chicago Red Stars, Bay FC, NWSL, Women's Soccer
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