BRIDGEVIEW, IL–Two matches in and two victories for the Chicago Red Stars! It’s definitely gone beyond the expectations for a new head coach and a completely rebuilt team from last year.
It’s still a great start to the 2024 season and it’s a way to be optimistic of what can be expected down a long road ahead of them.
Chicago got past visiting Seattle Reign FC, 2-1, Saturday afternoon at SeatGeek Stadium in the clubs’ home opener. The Red Stars also started the season with a 2-0 shutout over the Utah Royals FC on the road last weekend.
“It’s been amazing, like it’s a challenge year,” said Julia Bianchi, who scored one of the Red Stars goals Saturday. “We’re switching a lot of things, a lot of players left and a lot of players coming in. We have a lot of new members to our staff. So, it’s a challenge year. I think we’ve been doing good. 6 points and 4 goals in the first two games is just amazing. We just have to keep it up.”
For a new coach and the rest of the team had to be put together leading to be a better team over last year.
“The message has been very consistent.” Chicago Red Stars head coach Lucas Donaldson said. “We started out that were a team that will go through some hard times and go through some good times. There are times that we have to be resilient and be relentless. So, when I started to go through players. I had to select players with a mindset that can get some of the stuff done. It might not be the best technician, but we have some technicians out there. People that are young, so we have to bring them along.”
Maybe already the change of direction has been turned around with a new coach. It seems the message must be working in just two matches.
“They know that we have to be a group and to change the direction of the team with the culture,” Donaldson said. “That’s what we’re looking to do right away. Change the culture into an attitude. Even if you lose games, you’ve got a winning mentality. Everybody here wants to win, and hates lose. The only way for that to happen with hard work and everybody trusting everybody. We’re in this thing together. When you go to war and get into a fox hole, Then, you have to defend each other. One person step into the fox hole we can be in trouble. So, we have to have the fox hole mentality and work for each other.”
There’s still a long road ahead of the team and what will be ahead of this team can be very positive.
“We still have a long way to go,” Donaldson said. “Who knows where it goes. I’m just happy for the players to get something done.”
(Editor’s Note: For more of Len Cederholm’s photos, please click on the link to his gallery.)
