Red Stars get a statement win over first place Kansas City

CHICAGO – For all the personnel changes that the club has had all season long, they find themselves in the same place they’ve been for most of the last decade.

It’s getting towards the end of the NWSL season and the Red Stars are once again in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs. No matter the injuries or changes, the club always seems to find their way to squeeze into the postseason.

Wednesday was their biggest moment to date as they made a major statement to the NWSL that they will be a factor once the postseason beings in October.

Facing first place Kansas City at SeatGeek Stadium, the Red Stars dominated from the opening minutes in a 4-0 triumph that handed the Current their first loss in 13 matches. More importantly, it gives the club 30 points on the year, which moves them into a tie for fourth in the table with three matches left in the season.

Mallory Pugh continued her strong season and a run at a possible Most Valuable Player award with another memorable performance as she picked up a pair of goals along with an assist. She now leads the NWSL in the latter category and is fourth in the former.

Pugh got the second goal for the club in the first seven minutes of the match, with her score coming just two minutes after Tatumn Milazzo’s opened up the scoring. Pugh would add another goal in the 59th minute and then had the assist on Amanda Kowalski’s header goal to complete the scoring.

Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and the defense held down Kansas City the rest of the night to seal arguably the club’s best perfromance of the season as they round into form ahead of the postseason.