Category: KC Current

Following a thrilling first-round victory in the quarterfinal round of the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs, the No. 5 Kansas City Current finds itself just one match away from the NWSL Championship.

Up next for the Current is a road tilt against No. 1 OL Reign at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, at Lumen Field in Seattle. The match will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network and locally on ESPN Kansas City 1510 AM, 94.5 FM.

In its first-ever playoff appearance, the Current advanced to the semifinal round on a 2-1 victory over the Houston Dash Sunday. A goal from defender Kate Del Fava in the 100th minute proved decisive as the club picked up its first playoff victory in franchise history.

Midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a penalty kick after forward Kristen Hamilton drew a foul in the penalty area. The Dash promptly responded in the 21st minute with a left-footed strike from midfielder Sophie Schmidt to tie the match at 1-1.

Neither side could quite break the deadlock from there, and Current goalkeeper A.D. Franch made multiple crucial saves when Houston generated scoring opportunities.

Then, late in second-half stoppage time, the Current won the ball in the Dash’s attacking third after defender Alex Loera picked off a Houston clearance attempt. She combined with LaBonta for a give-and-go on the left side of the penalty area, then Loera slid a pass to a waiting Del Fava right in front of goal. Del Fava directed the ball to the far corner of the net, giving Kansas City a historic win, while also recording her first career NWSL goal in the process.

OL Reign was idle last weekend after receiving a first-round bye. Head coach Laura Harvey’s squad earned a bye and the No. 1 seed in the NWSL Playoffs after closing the season on a seven-match unbeaten streak in league play.

OL Reign enters the postseason on a three-match winning streak in which the team shut out all three of its opponents. OL Reign hasn’t allowed a goal since the first half of its 2-1 victory over the North Carolina Courage on Sept. 17.

Goalkeepers important in upcoming match

Sunday’s high-stakes clash could ultimately come down to the squad with the soundest defense and goalkeeping, as both regular-season matches between the Current and Reign ended with each side recording a 1-0 victory.

Goals could be at a premium given the caliber of both Franch and OL Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who are both nominated for the 2022 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year award. Franch recorded 70 saves in the regular season to Tullis-Joyce’s 65, but Tullis-Joyce finished the regular season with nine shutouts, which tied for a league-best mark.

As Tullis-Joyce’s shutout numbers would indicate, OL Reign possesses an incredibly stingy defense. The Reign’s 19 goals allowed are the fewest in the NWSL, and the team has allowed multiple goals on just six occasions.

However, Kansas City enters Sunday’s match in a similarly good run of defensive form. The Current has denied its opponents from scoring multiple goals in five of its last six matches, including two shutout wins.

In addition, the Current are comfortable generating scoring opportunities against OL Reign’s defense. The last regular season matchup between the two sides, a 1-0 Current victory at Children’s Mercy Park July 17, featured 36 combined shots and nine total shots on target. Kansas City finished the match with 17 total shots and five shots on target.

Milestones reached in Houston

Aside from Del Fava recording the first goal of her professional career and the Current recording its first-ever playoff victory Sunday, the team achieved several other notable milestones.

Del Fava’s goal in the 100th minute of action marked the latest regulation time goal ever scored in NWSL history, which includes the regular season, Challenge Cup and postseason. The goal handed Kansas City the victory in its playoff debut, and the Current became the first team to win its playoff debut since the Seattle Reign did so in 2014. Kansas City head coach Matt Potter became the first head coach to win an NWSL playoff game in his first NWSL season since 2013.

Additionally, Sunday’s victory over Houston continued a notable trend for the Current this season. LaBonta scored her 10th goal for Kansas City in all competitions with her penalty kick against the Dash, and the team has not lost a match in which LaBonta has scored (9 wins, 1 draw). In fact, LaBonta scored the lone goal in Kansas City’s win over OL Reign in July.

Road warriors

Another record-breaking crowd could await Kansas City for the second consecutive weekend, as OL Reign is making a push to break the NWSL record for the largest playoff crowd in league history. Houston originally snapped the record Sunday with 21,284 fans in attendance, though that mark was snapped by the San Diego Wave Sunday night.

Regardless, Kansas City has been a solid squad on the road in 2022. During the team’s 13-match unbeaten streak, the Current racked up a five-match road winning streak, which tied for the longest road winning streak in NWSL history. The Current went 5-5-1 in regular season road matches and enter Sunday’s semifinal having already won a highly contested match in front of a record crowd.

For information about Sunday’s watch party in Kansas City, Missouri, visit https://www.kansascitycurrent.com/news/kc-live-block-at-power-light-to-host-official-ol-reign-vs-kc.

Players to watch

Kansas City Current midfielder Desiree Scott — Kansas City will receive a massive boost in the midfield Sunday, as the team will welcome back team captain and Canadian international Desiree Scott. Scott served a one-match suspension last weekend after getting sent off in the Current’s regular season finale Oct. 1. Scott’s steady presence in the middle of the park cannot be understated. Her 34 tackles won are a team high and the ninth-best mark in the NWSL. The veteran midfielder leads the team with an 80.6% passing accuracy.

OL Reign forward Bethany Balcer — Balcer finished the regular season tied for the team lead in goals with seven and enters the postseason in a run of good form. She scored goals in each of OL Reign’s last two regular season matches, including the game-winning goal in Reign’s 2-0 victory over the Houston Dash on Sept. 24. Balcer also scored the game-winning goal in the 80th minute when Kansas City and OL Reign first met in Seattle May 25 and has three career goals versus Kansas City.

• Story from KC Current

The Kansas City Current earned a historic victory Sunday evening, advancing to the semifinal round of the 2022 National Women’s Soccer League playoffs after defeating the Houston Dash 2-1.

Defender Kate Del Fava slotted home the winning goal in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time to hand the Current its first-ever playoff victory.

“First and foremost, we will enjoy this one. It’s another historic moment for the group and for the club,” head coach Matt Potter said. “It will be about celebrating this one and then we will start the process of moving toward Seattle at the weekend. Right now, the focus is that these players deserve to enjoy this moment.”

Kansas City quieted the 21,284 fans in attendance at PNC Stadium, the largest playoff crowd in league history, with a penalty kick goal from midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta in the fifth minute.

Rookie defender Alex Loera, who started in place of suspended midfielder Desiree Scott in midfield, created the opportunity with an inch-perfect through ball to forward Kristen Hamilton. Hamilton was pulled down from behind in the penalty area by Dash defender Katie Naughton, which allowed LaBonta to open the scoring from the spot.

However, LaBonta’s penalty kick was the Current’s lone shot in the opening 45 minutes. Houston’s offense began peppering Kansas City’s net after the Current took a 1-0 lead, and eventually leveled the match in the 21st minute. On a Dash corner kick, the ball fell to midfielder Marissa Viggiano at the back post. She struck the ball on the half-volley and fizzed it past Current goalkeeper A.D. Franch to level the contest.

The sides went into halftime with the score knotted at 1-1, but not before Franch made a fantastic stop in the 41st minute. Following another Dash set piece, Viggiano volleyed a ball at goal from outside the penalty area, but Franch dove to knock the ball away.

Franch was called upon to make multiple key saves in Sunday’s match, particularly in the second half.

Houston recorded 15 shots in the second half alone. Franch made two key stops in the 53rd and 59th minute, and the Dash struck the post in the 55th minute as well. Kansas City broke up Houston’s dangerous spell of play with a chance of its own in the 66th minute, when second-half substitute Elyse Bennett had a one-on-one opportunity with Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell denied.

The match transitioned into an end-to-end affair as the contest wore on, and defender Kristen Edmonds made two key interventions to keep Houston off the scoresheet in one-on-one situations. Edmonds’ clutch defending helped keep the match level heading into nine minutes of second-half stoppage time, where chances began flying thick and fast for both sides.

Forward Cece Kizer nearly slotted a ball home at the back post in the 90+3 minute, then Houston immediately raced down the field and generated a threatening scoring opportunity. Houston forward Michelle Alozie broke free from Kansas City’s defense and had a one-on-one opportunity with Franch, but Franch stood tall to deny the chance. The Current’s defense held strong and withstood multiple Houston set pieces before snatching victory in the final seconds.

After forcing a Houston turnover in the attacking third, LaBonta and Loera combined for a brilliant give-and-go that freed Loera down the left flank. Loera slid the ball across the face of goal and past Campbell, and Del Fava was waiting at the back post to tap the ball home in the 90+10 minute. Del Fava’s goal marked the latest game-winning goal in regulation in NWSL history and allowed Kansas City to secure the 2-1 victory. It also marked the first goal of Del Fava’s NWSL career.

With the historic victory, Kansas City will next face OL Reign in the NWSL Semifinals. The Current’s next playoff match will be held Sunday, Oct. 23, and kick off at 6:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. Kansas City and OL Reign met twice in the regular season, with each side picking up a 1-0 win.

• Story from KC Current

The Kansas City Current will make franchise history Oct. 16, as the club visits the Houston Dash in the first round of the National Women’s Soccer League Playoffs.

Sunday’s match kicks off at 4 p.m. and can be viewed nationally on Paramount+. ESPN Kansas City 1510 AM, 94.5 FM will broadcast the match locally.

Kansas City’s entry to the playoffs was largely possible thanks to a 13-game unbeaten streak that saw the team go through the months of June, July and August without a mark in the loss column. On Sept. 25, the Current officially secured a spot in the playoffs with a 3-0 win over the Washington Spirit. Kansas City closed out the regular season with a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Racing Louisville FC on a goal scored in stoppage time, which was only the Current’s second loss since May 25.

The Dash closed its season by winning two of the last three matches, which allowed Houston to leapfrog Kansas City in the league standings based on goal differential. The Dash needed a win in its final match of the regular season to secure a home playoff match, but Houston went into halftime of its match against Washington Oct. 1 tied at 1-1. However, the Dash secured a 2-1 win after a close-range header from Houston forward Nichelle Prince in the 58th minute hit the post and deflected off Spirit defender Julia Roddar before crossing the goal line.

First-time stage for familiar foes

Sunday’s meeting between Kansas City and Houston marks the fifth meeting between the sides in all competitions in 2022, and the ninth meeting since the Current joined the league in 2021. The Dash will officially become the most-played opponent in franchise history in Sunday’s contest, surpassing the Chicago Red Stars, who Kansas City has faced eight total times since 2021.

Despite the frequency in which the Current and Dash meet, the clubs’ last meeting in the 2022 season came July 1. Kansas City won 2-1 at PNC Stadium, the site of Sunday’s playoff meeting, on goals by LaBonta and defender Hailie Mace. Houston defeated Kansas City in the first regular season meeting May 8, but the Current swept both meetings in the Challenge Cup.

At any rate, the Dash enter the postseason as one of the NWSL’s most potent offenses. Houston’s 35 regular season goals rank third in the league and second among clubs qualified for the postseason. Midseason trade acquisition Ebony Salmon has been a big reason why. The former Racing Louisville forward has scored nine goals in 12 appearances for the Dash after making her Houston debut July 1. Houston’s goalscoring is evenly distributed behind Salmon’s total and so are the Dash’s assist numbers, as Houston has four players with three or more assists.

On the defensive side, Houston’s 27 goals conceded are the fourth highest of any playoff squad, though Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell has kept six clean sheets in the 2022 regular season.

Historic team, historic season

The 2022 season has been a monumental one for Kansas City in all competitions. After making a statement in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, winning the Central Division and making the semifinals of the competition, the Current built on that momentum with an impressive regular season.

The Current’s 13-match unbeaten streak stands atop those accomplishments, with Kansas City’s streak standing alone as the second-longest unbeaten streak in NWSL history. Several players stood out not just during the unbeaten streak, but throughout the season, and as a result several franchise records fell.

Kansas City set club records for wins (10), goals (29) and points (36) in a season, all while orchestrating one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in NWSL history. Midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta and forward Cece Kizer tied for seven goals in the 2022 regular season, which set a new franchise record, while LaBonta also set a franchise record for assists (4) and penalty kick goals (5) in a season. Goalkeeper AD Franch had a stellar individual campaign in 2022, and her 66 saves and five shutouts both set franchise records. Finally, forward Kristen Hamilton’s 1,828 minutes played in the regular season set a franchise record.

Busy over break

Despite having a week off before the start of the postseason, the club was busy on and off the pitch. Kansas City had three players called up to their respective national teams during the Oct. FIFA International Window: midfielders Desiree Scott (Canada) and Chloe Logarzo (Australia) and defender Hailie Mace (United States).

Scott did not feature in Canada’s first match of the window, a 2-0 win over Argentina Oct. 6. She did start and play 90 minutes and captain the Canadian side in a 4-0 win over Morocco Oct. 10. Logarzo, meanwhile, made a historic return to play for Australia after not featuring for the Matildas since September 2021, when she tore her ACL in an international friendly against Ireland. Logarzo appeared as a second-half substitute in Australia’s 4-1 victory over South Africa Oct. 8.

Mace was called up to the United States squad for the second consecutive international window and saw significant action across two matches against England and Spain. Mace came in as a first-half substitute in the United States’ 2-1 loss to England Oct. 7, and played for over 70 minutes, then started and played 62 minutes in the United States’ 2-0 loss to Spain Oct. 11.

Off the pitch, the Kansas City Current officially broke ground on its historic stadium at Berkley Riverfront Park, the first purpose-built venue for a professional women’s sports team in the world Oct. 6. The celebration featured dignitaries and celebrities from across the region along with thousands of fans. The stadium is set to open for the 2024 season.

Awards season

The Current’s success this season has not gone unnoticed across the league. This week defender Hailie Mace was named to the September – October NWSL Best XI. This is her second award this season and the third straight month Kansas City has been represented.

In other honors, the league announced the nominees for the season’s NWSL Awards this week. Head coach Matt Potter (Coach of the Year) and A.D. Franch (Goalkeeper of the Year) were each nominated. Voting for the final awards begins immediately, with fans being able to weigh in. Fans wishing to vote on the individual award winners, Best XI, and Best XI Second Team can access the voting ballot at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7036115/2022-NWSL-End-of-Year-Awards-Fans-Finalists.

Players to watch

Kansas City Current forward Kristen Hamilton — While LaBonta and Kizer ended the season atop Kansas City’s goalscoring ranks in the regular season, Hamilton’s 11 goals scored in all competitions remains a team high entering the 2022 postseason. The veteran forward is no stranger to the postseason stage, with eight career NWSL postseason appearances during her time with the Western New York Flash-North Carolina Courage. Despite not scoring since Aug. 28, Hamilton leads the Current in total shots (46) and shots on target (24).

Houston Dash forward Maria Sánchez — Behind Salmon, forward Maria Sánchez is Houston’s top playmaker. Sánchez has generated a team-high 47 chances, which ranks third in the NWSL, while scoring two goals and recording four assists in the regular season. During the Challenge Cup, Sánchez provided an assist in Houston’s 2-1 loss to the Current April 15.

• Story from KC Current