by Brian Turrel
The new-look Kansas City Current offense continues to bring results, scoring once early and once late to fight back for a 2-2 draw against the first-place Chicago Red Stars at Children’s Mercy Park Saturday evening.
Blue Valley Northwest alumna CeCe Kizer scored the equalizing goal, her first in a Kansas City uniform, in the 68th minute. Kizer took a pass from Elyse Bennett on the run, closed quickly to the edge of the 18-yard box, then blasted a shot into the upper right corner of the goal before Chicago defender Amanda Kowalski could close on her.
Chicago scored twice early in the second half to take a 2-1 lead. The first goal came in the 53rd minute on a corner kick beautifully placed at the far post by Mallory Pugh for Kowalski to head in. The Red Stars went ahead on a penalty kick by Pugh in the 58th minute.
Kristen Hamilton opened the scoring for the Current in the 8th minute. Hailie Mace received a corner kick played wide on the left side and dropped the ball neatly into the 6-yard box for Hamilton to poke between the back post and Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.
Current goalkeeper A.D. Franch made four saves to preserve the draw. Her lunging kick save in first-half stoppage time kept the Red Stars scoreless in the first half, and she leaped to tip a would-be game-winning goal over the crossbar in the 86th minute.
After the match, Kizer talked about what this first goal meant to her.
“For my family and all of them to be here — it was amazing,” she said. “Just a lot of energy, a lot of emotion, and I just hope that I can inspire young girls around Kansas City to one day play here.”
Kansas City finishes its four-game home stand with two wins and two draws. The Current will play on the road in Houston and Washington, D.C., before the next home match on July 17 against OL Reign.
