Category: KC Current

Looking to keep pace in a jam-packed National Women’s Soccer League table and earn a playoff berth for the first time in franchise history, the Kansas City Current (9-5-6, 33 pts, T-4th place) will play host to the Washington Spirit (3-7-10, 19 pts, 10th place) Sunday, Sept. 25, at Children’s Mercy Park.

The Current’s final home match of the 2022 regular season kicks off at 4 p.m. and can be streamed on Paramount+.

The Current bounced back from having its 13-match unbeaten streak snapped with a massive 1-1 home draw against the Portland Thorns Sunday.

Despite chances for both sides, the first goal of the contest didn’t come until the 87th minute, with Portland forward Rocky Rodriguez opening the scoring.

Deep into second-half stoppage time, the Current responded. Defender Hailie Mace won a free kick just outside of Portland’s penalty area and attempted the ensuing free kick after the ball was rolled forward by fellow defender Kristen Edmonds. Mace’s bullet took a deflection off a Portland defender and fizzed into the net to secure the tie.

Washington enters Sunday’s match on the heels of a 2-1 road loss to Angel City FC Wednesday night. The Spirit generated more dangerous scoring chances than Angel City, recording six shots on target to Angel City’s four, but ultimately succumbed to two well-worked goals.

Angel City opened the scoring in the 39th minute with a sliding goal by forward Claire Emslie at the back post on an assist from defender Ali Riley. Forward Simone Charley provided the insurance goal in the 51st minute, heading a cross from defender Jasmyne Spencer into the bottom corner of the net. Spirit forward Ashley Hatch pulled a goal back with a penalty kick in the 88th minute, but Washington was unable to complete the comeback

Current trying to secure playoff berth

With a win over Washington Sunday, the Current could not only secure a playoff berth for the first time in franchise history, but also continue building on one of the greatest season-to-season turnarounds in the history of the NWSL.

Entering Sunday, Kansas City has 33 points on the season, which is 17 points better than the club’s point total (16) in the 2021 regular season. That already ranks as the fifth-best single-season turnaround in league history, and Kansas City is just one point behind the 2015-2016 Portland Thorns, who improved by 18 points between 2015 and 2016. With four points across its last two matches, Kansas City would match the third-best turnaround in league history, and two wins would catapult the Current to second place all-time.

As Kansas City looks to secure a playoff berth and potentially earn a first-round bye, the club can make even more history in the process by capping an impressive bounce-back season. It won’t come easily, though. The Current do face two squads already eliminated from NWSL Playoff contention in their last two matches, but the fine margins of the league table mean the club has little room for error. First and sixth place are separated by just five points, while the Current are four points ahead of seventh-place Angel City.

Current able to come back

Over Kansas City’s last 15 matches, trailing by a goal has not phased head coach Matt Potter’s squad. Kansas City’s ability to erase deficits and turn losses into wins has been one of the primary reasons for the team’s rise up the NWSL standings.

The Current have lost just once since May 30, which also marked the lone time that the team was unable to erase a one-goal deficit in any of its last 15 contests. In all other instances, the team is 2-0-4 when trailing by a goal since May 30. Also of note, five of those six matches have been at Children’s Mercy Park, a pivotal factor why Kansas City has not lost a home match since May 8.

Forward Cece Kizer has stepped up when the Current have trailed, with five equalizing or go-ahead goals over this stretch, but Mace has been just as clutch for Kansas City in recent weeks. All four of Mace’s goals in the 2022 regular season have been game-tying or game-winning goals, including the equalizer last weekend against Portland and the game-winning penalty kick on Sept. 11 against NJ-NY Gotham FC.

Franch records eight saves against Thorns

After appearing in each of the Current’s last 10 matches before Wednesday’s game off, a rejuvenated Franch recorded eight saves against Portland and was a crucial reason why Kansas City was able to come away with a draw. The best save in her performance came in the 65th minute, when Franch essentially did the splits to deny a close-range shot from Portland forward Sophia Smith at the near post with a kick save.

Franch’s eight saves against Portland marked her second highest save total in the 2022 regular season — only behind a nine-save performance in the Current’s season-opening loss to Portland.

Franch’s torrid save pace from earlier in the season has slowed, but she’s still among the league’s top shot-stoppers in terms of total saves as the regular season draws to a close. Franch ranks fourth in the NWSL with 62 saves entering Sunday’s match, while her 1.33 goals against average ranks seventh in the league among goalkeepers who have made at least 15 appearances.

Current continue season ticket drive

The Kansas City Current officially launched season ticket deposits for the first stadium purpose-built for a women’s professional soccer team. Fans can place a deposit and learn more at KCCurrentStadium.com.

Players to watch

Kansas City Current midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta — LaBonta has had a remarkable individual 2022 campaign, and she’ll look to unveil one of her trademark goal celebrations one more time for the Children’s Mercy Park faithful Sunday. The Rancho Cucamonga, California, native is tied for both the team and franchise record with six goals, the most of any season in her professional career, and her four assists are the third-highest total in the NWSL. LaBonta also earned selections to the July and August Best XI of the Month.

Washington Spirit forward Ashley Hatch — Washington’s front four had a different look when Kansas City and Washington last faced off, a 1-0 Current win July 10. The Spirit had multiple players unavailable due to their participation in the ongoing Concacaf W Championship which included Hatch, the team’s leading goal scorer entering Sunday with nine goals. The United States Women’s National Team mainstay won the NWSL Golden Boot award last season, and she’s scored four times in her last four appearances for Washington in 2022.

• Story from KC Current

by Brian Turrel

The latest of comeback goals earned the Kansas City Current a 1-1 draw at home against the Portland Thorns, a critical point in the standings with Kansas City battling for the top spot in the NWSL standings as the regular season draws to a close.

Well into the fourth minute of stoppage time, on a last-ditch drive toward goal, Hailie Mace was knocked down by defender Becky Sauerbrunn just outside the Portland penalty area, earning a free kick.

Mace and Kristen Edmonds lined up over the ball, and Edmonds gave the ball the merest nudge before Mace blasted it into the upper left corner of the goal.

The late game goal-scoring heroics partially overshadowed the Herculean effort of the defense and goalkeeper A.D. Franch, whose eight saves along with stellar back line play stymied Portland’s relentless offensive pressure until an 86th minute goal from midfielder Rocky Rodriguez.

U.S. women’s national team star Sophia Smith was a force on Portland’s front line, slipping into open areas in the Kansas City defense and providing a target for her teammates. Kate Del Fava and Addisyn Merrick had the unenviable task of keeping Smith in check, and were up to the challenge.

The draw pulls Kansas City even with Houston for second place in the NWSL standings, though Houston owns the tie breaker on goal differential. Portland remains one point behind, but the Thorns have a game in hand. The top two teams receive a bye in the first round of playoffs and will play host to their semi-final matches.

Kansas City has two games remaining in the regular season, and the NWSL Shield award for the best record is within reach. The Current plays 10th place Washington Spirit at home next Sunday and concludes the season at 11th place Louisville on Oct. 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following its first loss in 113 days, the Kansas City Current (9-5-5, 32 pts, 1st place) return to Children’s Mercy Park at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, for one of the clubs most significant matches to date.

The Current square off with the Portland Thorns (8-3-7, 31 pts, T-2nd place) in a match that holds significant postseason implications and could help to determine the winner of the NWSL Shield. Sunday’s matchup will stream on Paramount+.

Wednesday, Kansas City’s 13-match unbeaten streak came to an end in a 4-0 road loss to the Chicago Red Stars. A rotated Current squad managed to out-shoot Chicago 12-8, but Kansas City couldn’t quite find a goal. The shutout loss snapped the Current’s 13-match scoring streak, which coincided with the team’s unbeaten streak. Chicago forward Mallory Pugh managed two goals and an assist in the Red Stars’ victory.

Portland has not played since Friday, Sept. 9, a 2-0 road triumph over the Orlando Pride. After peppering Orlando’s goal throughout the opening half-hour, the Thorns broke through in the 31st minute with a well-worked goal by forward Yazmeen Ryan. Orlando threatened to equalize, but Portland eventually doubled its advantage in the 65th minute with an outside-the-box strike from midfielder Hina Sugita.

Current try to bounce back

Coach Potter, LaBonta and midfielder Desiree Scott spoke about the importance of not letting one loss define the team as just three matches remain in the 2022 regular season following Wednesday’s loss. Fortunately, Kansas City won’t have to wait long for another opportunity to bounce back from Wednesday’s loss and start a new streak.

Kansas City welcomes the Thorns Sunday for the second time in the 2022 regular season. The Current and Portland previously met April 30, the first match of the regular season and the Thorns won 3-0. Now, nearly five months since that meeting, Kansas City and Portland sit in first and second place in the NWSL standings. Kansas City has just three matches remaining in the regular season while the Thorns have four, placing further emphasis on a positive result from Kansas City’s perspective.

While Kansas City can’t build on its impressive unbeaten streak Sunday, it can make club history with a positive result. The Current are 0-4-1 all-time against Portland in all competitions. Kansas City has scored just one goal on Portland in five meetings. If the Current are to separate themselves from a congested NWSL table by weekend’s end, bouncing back with a strong performance against Portland is a must.

Defensive shuffle

In the 90th minute of Wednesday’s loss, Ball picked up a yellow card that ultimately proved costly. One of the stalwarts of the Current’s defense in 2022, the caution marked Ball’s fifth booking of the season, meaning she will receive a one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation.

Ball has appeared in every one of the Current’s regular season matches and had started 10 consecutive matches before Sunday.

Potter has a few options for replacing Ball in the center of the Current’s defense. Defenders Taylor Leach and Alex Loera are candidates, though each played 45 minutes against Chicago. Notably, Kristen Edmonds also played 90 minutes against both Chicago and Gotham Sunday. Rookie defender Jenna Winebrenner made a substitute appearance in her first match action since returning from injury in August.

Looking back at the streak

Even though Kansas City’s unbeaten streak came to an end Wednesday, head coach Matt Potter’s squad went on a truly historic run that sent shockwaves through the NWSL.

After the Current lost 1-0 to OL Reign May 25, the team sat in 11th place in the NWSL standings with a record of 0-4-1. Over the next 13 games, Kansas City earned 31 points, won nine matches and allowed just 14 goals. All those figures ranked first in the NWSL, which contributed heavily to the Current’s ascent to first place in the league for the first time in franchise history.

Several Current players have put together impressive individual seasons in 2022, with their performances largely coinciding with the team’s unbeaten run. Midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta and forwards Cece Kizer and Kristen Hamilton have all scored a franchise-record six goals and goalkeeper AD Franch picked up her 40th career shutout in the team’s 1-0 victory over NJ/NY Gotham FC September 11. LaBonta and Franch were named to both the July and Aug. NWSL Best XI of the Month, while defenders Elizabeth Ball (August), Hailie Mace (July) and Kristen Edmonds (July) also received monthly honors.

The Current’s 13-match unbeaten streak stands as the second-longest unbeaten streak in NWSL history. The team’s five-match road winning streak, snapped with Wednesday’s loss, was tied for the longest such road winning streak in league history.

Stadium drive

The Kansas City Current officially launched season ticket deposits for the first stadium purpose-built for a women’s professional soccer team Tuesday morning. Fans can place a deposit and learn more at KCCurrentStadium.com.

Players to watch

Kansas City Current defender Alex Loera — Loera should play a major part in assisting to keep the Thorns’ offense at bay Sunday. The rookie has been a crucial part of Kansas City’s rotation in 2022, making 17 appearances, 15 starts and totaling over 1,400 minutes played. Defensively, she’s recorded 32 clearances and made 19 interceptions. With just 45 minutes played in the Current’s last two matches, Loera should play a significant role Sunday.

Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith — Portland forward Sophia Smith is the leader of a Thorns offense that has scored 39 goals entering Sunday’s match, the highest total in the NWSL. A United States Women’s National Team regular, Smith went on a torrid run in which she scored eight goals in five appearances spanning from June 8 through Aug. 5. Smith ranks second in the NWSL Golden Boot race, four behind league leader and San Diego Wave forward Alex Morgan.

• Story from KC Current