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KC Current adds to roster

The Kansas City Current has made several changes recently, adding players to the roster for next season.

The Current also has made changes for players on the roster, placing defenders Katie Bowen and Michelle Maemone on waivers and buying out the contract of forward Mariana Larroquette, according to an announcement.

The Current made two picks in the fourth round of the NWSL draft, selecting Texas Christian University defender Jenna Winebrenner and drafting Ohio State University defender Izzy Rodriguez.

Winebrenner grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, playing for Park Hill High School. She played four college years at Notre Dame, where she started 53 of her 55 matches on the defensive backline. Winebrenner transferred to Texas Christian University for her senior season, starting in 22 matches for the Horned Frogs.

Rodriguez played college soccer for the Ohio State Buckeyes. She earned Big Ten All-Freshman in 2017, First Team All-Big Ten in 2018 and 2021, and the Big Ten Defender of the Year in 2021. From the backline, Rodriguez scored eight goals and added 12 assists at Ohio State.

The Current also selected Washington State forward Elyse Bennett in the first round and University of Oregon midfielder Chardonnay Curran in the second round.

Bennett was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team in her first season with the Cougars. She scored three goals in 14 games her sophomore season before suffering an injury. Bennett returned from the injury to start in 56 of her next 57 matches.

The forward scored 26 goals in her college career, with 12 assists. Her 10 scores in 2021 led the team and propelled her to being named First Team All Pac-12 to close out her final collegiate season.

Curran holds the Oregon record for most appearances, 92, and starts, 84. She is a versatile midfielder who accounted for 21 points at Oregon. She had three goals in 19 matches her senior year and finished her college career with seven goals and seven assists.

A recent trade sent midfielder Gaby Vincent to the Washington Spirit in exchange for the Spirit’s natural fourth round pick in the 2023 NWSL draft and $25,000 in allocation funds.

Vincent was transferred to Kansas City with 22 other players before the 2021 season. She appeared in 16 games for Kansas City, making 11 starts. The midfielder was signed by the Utah Royals in 2019 and started seven games that season.

Bowen was one of seven players who returned to Kansas City this season after having played with FC Kansas City and then the Utah Royals. Originally drafted out of the University of North Carolina by FCKC in 2016, the New Zealand native has played in 89 career NWSL games with 71 starts.

Maemone, originally drafted by the Utah Royals in 2019, was one of 22 players assigned to the Kansas City Roster shortly after the team was announced. Maemone was in the Starting XI for Kansas City’s first Challenge Cup match in Portland on April 9 and appeared in nine matches for the team during the 2021 Challenge Cup and Regular Season.

Larroquette was Kansas City’s first international signing on Dec. 22, 2020. The Argentine national played 19 games this season, starting in eight.

The 2022 preseason begins Feb. 1, and the season will open with the Challenge Cup on March 19.

KC making a bid for the FIFA World Cup today

FIFA officials are touring the Kansas City area today, as Kansas City is making a bid to be the host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Kansas City plan is to hold the World Cup at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, with other facilities throughout the area used for training camps.

Representatives from FIFA, Concacaf and U.S. Soccer will be touring Kansas City today. They will be gathering at the Power and Light District, along with touring Arrowhead Stadium, Union Station and other areas.

They also are planning to attend the U.S. Women’s Team’s soccer game tonight against Korea, at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce President Joe Reardon said in a recent newsletter, “This would be HUGE for our local economy, worth up to $620 million in economic impact. And it would bring the world’s attention to KC with more than 3.5 billion viewers worldwide. (By comparison, 96.4 million viewers tuned into the 2021 Super Bowl). Not to mention the tens of thousands of international visitors we can expect.”

In Washington, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, made a statement Wednesday night on the Senate floor supporting the selection of Kansas City for the FIFA World Cup.

“…Kansas is home to some of the most devoted, fanatic soccer fans in the world that are ready to cheer on Team USA – and what better place than America’s heartland?” Sen. Marshall said. “The Kansas City community, alongside Sporting KC, has shown unwavering commitment to make this dream a reality. And Kansas City is no stranger to hosting major sporting events, from the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Conference Championship and NCAA March Madness, and plans to host the NFL Football Draft in 2023. We have great fan friendly facilities and something for everyone in the family to do. We have the lodging, public transportation, shopping, and dining options needed to make the 2026 World Cup a great success. The FIFA World Cup is the largest and most prestigious single sport event in the world and there is no better place for it to be held than Kansas City.”

Sporting KC 1-1 draw versus Colorado Rapids

Johnny Russell placed a direct kick into the upper right corner of the goal for Kansas City’s only score of the match in a 1-1 home draw against the Colorado Rapids. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)

by Brian Turrel

Sporting Kansas City came back from an early deficit to post a 1-1 draw against the Colorado Rapids Saturday evening at Children’s Mercy Park. The stadium was packed and loud for the weekend match.

Colorado took the lead in the 17th minute. Jonathan Lewis knocked back the rebound of his own shot to get the score.

Johnny Russell scored the equalizer in the 41st minute on a free kick just outside the penalty area, floating the ball over the wall of Colorado defenders and into the corner of the net.

After the match, Russell discussed his approach to the kick.

“Just tried to get a good connection,” the Scottish forward said. “Make it clean, make sure it got up and down in time and managed to tuck it away.”

Sporting KC had the better of the Rapids for the remainder of the match and attempted 20 shots to only 8 for Colorado. Rapids goalkeeper William Yarbrough saved 7 shots and a few other Sporting chances were just wide of the goal.

Head coach Peter Vermes praised the team’s effort after the game, despite the missed opportunity for a win.

“I can’t say anything but great things about the guys’ effort and their commitment,” said the coach. “It was a really high, high level performance today. Their attitude and their mentality and to play the way they did as long as they did was a heck of a performance from that perspective.”

The single point from the draw keeps Kansas City in second place in the MLS Western Conference standings, and they continue their streak of six unbeaten games.

Sporting Kansas City plays next at Los Angeles FC at 9 p.m. Sept. 3. Their next home game is at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11 against the Chicago Fire.