Red Stars vs. Courage, 2019 NWSL Championship: Start time, live stream, TV info

Sam Kerr and the Red Stars look to end the Courage’s run and bring the NWSL title to Chicago for the first time.

By Satchel Price

Sam Kerr celebrates after scoring a goal for the Red Stars.

The Chicago Red Stars look to put the finishing touches on a dream season in the NSWL Championship against the North Carolina Courage on Sunday afternoon. The match is set to start at 2:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

The NWSL’s top two teams during the regular season enter the final at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, featuring loads of offensive talent.

The Courage dominated with a 15-4-5 record and league-high 49 points before beating FC Reign, 4-1, in the NWSL semifinals. They scored 13 more goals than the Red Stars, who finished second in the league with a 14-2-8 record and 44 points.

What the Red Stars have against the Courage’s deep offensive attack is the league’s top player, Sam Kerr. The Australian superstar led the league with 18 goals – six more than anyone else – and will be leaned on to power the Red Stars on Sunday.

Yuki Nagasato provides secondary scoring, and USWNT stars Julia Ertz and Aylssa Naeher will anchor things on the back end, but there’s little doubt who fuels the Red Stars’ engine.

The Courage boast two of the league’s top five goal leaders and five of their top eight assist leaders. Lynn Williams, Kristen Hamilton, Debinha, Jaelene Hinkle, Merritt Mathias and Crystal Dunn will put the Red Stars’ defense on alert all afternoon.

The Red Stars have never won the NWSL championship, and they’re facing the defending champions, a team that’s topped the regular season standings each of the last three years. They’ll look to end the Courage’s run and potentially start one of their own Sunday afternoon, so it’ll be worth tuning in.