Chicago and San Diego Earn First Wins of 2026 NWSL Season

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The Chicago Stars and San Diego Wave each earned one-goal victories on Sunday in the National Women's Soccer League, with efficiency and execution proving the difference in both matches. The games highlighted the importance of established partnerships, as well as the potential for discipline issues to impact results early in the season.

Why it matters

The tight, low-scoring nature of the opening NWSL matches reflects an early-season pattern in the league, where results are often decided by a handful of critical plays rather than sustained dominance. The discipline issues, with a spike in red cards compared to the previous season, also underscore how quickly games can turn on small moments.

The details

For the Chicago Stars, Sunday's 2-1 win over the Kansas City Current was defined by the connection between forwards Jordyn Huitema and Julia Grosso, who have played together for the Canadian national team. Grosso's ability to progress the ball through the midfield set up Huitema's decisive goal. Across both the Chicago and San Diego matches, the common thread was tight margins, with the outcomes hinging on finishing and defensive concentration rather than overall control of the game.

• On Sunday, March 22, 2026, the Chicago Stars defeated the Kansas City Current 2-1.
• Also on March 22, 2026, the San Diego Wave defeated the Utah Royals 2-1 on the road.