Chicago Stars FC claimed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Utah Royals on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in the National Women’s Soccer League, with Jordyn Huitema’s 86th-minute goal settling an entertaining fixture at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston.
In front of a crowd of 4,156, Chicago made the sharper early impression despite seeing less of the ball overall, and the breakthrough arrived in the 20th minute. Huitema found the finish to put the hosts in front, rewarding Chicago’s aggressive start and giving the home side a platform.
Utah Royals, though, responded well and finished the first half on the front foot. Their equalizer came in the 43rd minute through Cloé Lacasse, who brought the visitors level just before the interval and shifted the momentum heading into halftime at 1-1.
The Royals then turned the fixture around early in the second half. Cece Delzer converted from the penalty spot in the 54th minute to make it 2-1, capping a strong spell from the visitors, who controlled 56.4 percent possession and looked poised to take another positive result on the road.
Chicago’s response was immediate and emphatic. Just five minutes later, Sam Staab restored parity in the 59th minute with a free-kick goal, breathing life back into the hosts and swinging the energy inside the stadium. It was a key moment in a match that never truly settled.
From there, both sides continued to trade attacking spells. Chicago finished with 15 shots to Utah’s 13 and put seven efforts on target, compared to four from the Royals. That extra cutting edge proved decisive in the closing stages.
With the clock winding down, Huitema delivered the decisive blow in the 86th minute, grabbing her second goal of the night and sealing all three points for Chicago. It was a composed, match-winning contribution from the forward, who proved the difference in a contest packed with momentum swings.
There was bite to the fixture as well, with Brianna Pinto booked for Chicago in the 42nd minute and Ana Tejada shown a yellow card for Utah in the 75th minute. But the defining story was Chicago’s resilience, coming from behind after Delzer’s penalty and finding the decisive moment late on.
For Chicago Stars FC, this was an important home win built on efficiency in the final third and a standout performance from Huitema. For Utah Royals, defeat will sting after they battled back well and briefly led, but their attacking threat through Lacasse and Delzer ensured they remained in the contest throughout.
Goal scorers: Jordyn Huitema 20′, Cloé Lacasse 43′, Cece Delzer 54′ (pen), Sam Staab 59′, Jordyn Huitema 86′.
