Upon the release of the NWSL schedule for 2018, I took a look and pinpointed some of the toughest runs of games that the Chicago Red Stars were going to face in their campaign — specifically the first (and last) five games of the season. Well, we’ve hit Game Five, and as the Red Stars prepare for number six on Saturday against Washington, it seemed like a good time to reflect on the work Chicago’s done, and what they have to look forward to.
The first five games were always going to be tough, with the international duties of Sam Kerr pulling her away from her new club for the first five weeks of the season, but Chicago’s long-maligned injury woes made April a much sharper test than even previously thought.