Gotham FC vs Chicago Stars preview: Starting the second half in the Windy City | OneFootball

Following the midseason break that saw one of their players win the Euros in Jess Carter and another in the finasl of the Copa América Femenina in Gabi Portilho, NJ/NY Gotham FC returns to play with a Friday night trip to the Midwest to take on Chicago Stars FC. While the Bats will be looking for a win to help them vault up the standings and into a more secure playoff spot, any positive result for Chicago will put them second to last in the standings, 12 points out of a playoff spot.

When these two teams met in New Jersey back in May, the game ended in a 0-0 draw in what Gotham can look back on as two dropped points. They were by far the better team, but were unable to find the back of the net in what was the first game for Chicago after the firing of head coach Lorne Donaldson.

Two key storylines heading into this game include returning players for both sides. For Gotham, the club announced on Thursday that they had reacquired forward Katie Stengel from WSL2 side Crystal Palace F.C. for an undisclosed transfer fee. Then, Chicago announced that Alyssa Naeher had been activated from the 45-day injured list. While it isn't a guarantee that either player sees the field on Friday, especially Stengel, seeing how these two affect their respective teams moving forward will be something to keep an eye on.

Starting the second half with a win would be a great boost for the team. Not just because of the three points, but also because four of the five games after Chicago are at home. While Gotham's home form has not been as rock-solid as last season, having a run of home games should be where they pick up a lot of their points in the second half of the season. So let's take a look at the preview of Friday's match against Chicago.

Gotham FC vs Chicago Stars preview

Date

The match will be played on Friday, August 1.

Time

The game is scheduled to kick off at 8:00 PM ET.

How to Watch

The fixture will be streamed on NWSL+.

Location

The match will be played at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois.

Weather

It looks to be a very comfortable night in the Chicago area with temperatures in the low 70s and humidity around 45-50%. Winds will be around 10 mph with gusts approaching 20, and there is also a 0% chance of rain.

Injury report

Tierna Davidson (SEI – knee), Esther González (excused absence), Stella Nyamekye (excused absence), and Ella Stevens (knee) are all unavailable for the match. Gabi Portilho will also miss the game due to international duty.

Players to watch

After finally getting back on the field in June with Gotham FC and then with the USWNT, expect Rose Lavelle to finally make her presence known on this Gotham FC in 2025. The midfielder, who had missed the first 10 NWSL games following offseason surgery, finally made her way back on the field and, while still looking a little rusty, very much resembled the Lavelle everyone has come to know. If she can stay healthy and play at the level we've seen from her in the past, then she could be the key to Gotham finding some consistency in the attacking aspect of the game.

A new acquisition hoping to make an immediate impact for the Stars is German international defender Kathrin Hendrich. The 33-year-old joins after playing in the Euros with Germany, which ended with a red card, but the less said about that, the better. One player cannot overhaul an entire defense, but adding someone of her ability and experience certainly cannot hurt.

Gotham will hit the ground running in the second half and leave Chicago as 2-0 victors. Goals will come from Sarah Schupansky and Lavelle while the defense earns their second clean sheet in as many games against the Stars. While Chicago will be desperate for three points in front of their home fans, it feels like the gap in quality between the two sides will just be too much for them to overcome.