Ludmila's brace lifts Stars over Bay FC for first win

Ludmila scored a first-half brace and the Chicago Stars held on for a 2-1 victory over Bay FC on Sunday in San Jose, Calif.

Jameese Joseph had two assists and Alyssa Narher finished with two saves for Chicago (1-3-0, 3 points), which entered the contest with zero points and in last place in the NWSL.

Caroline Conti scored on a penalty kick and Jordan Silkowitz made three saves for Bay FC (1-2-1, 4 points), which suffered its second straight loss.

Chicago, which had scored just one goal in its three previous matches, jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute when Ludmila took a through pass from Joseph, deked Silkowitz in the center of the box and then booted a left-footed shot into the right side of the net. The play was originally ruled offside but the goal was allowed following a lengthy VAR review.

Ludmila then made it 2-0 in the 41st minute when she took a pass from Joseph on the right side of the box and drilled a right-footed shot inside the far right post.

Bay FC cut it to 2-1 in the 58th minute when Stars midfielder Maitane Lopez was called for a hand ball in the box and Conti followed with a right-footed shot from the spot into the bottom left corner for her first professional goal.

--Field Level Media