September 16, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Kansas City Current News Release
KANSAS CITY – Following its first loss in 113 days, the Kansas City Current (9-5-5, 32pts, 1st place) return to Children’s Mercy Park Sunday, Sept. 18 for one of the clubs most significant matches to date. The Current square off with the Portland Thorns (8-3-7, 31pts, 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.
ALL TO PLAY FOR
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, respectively, in the NWSL standings. The Current have 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 and have scored just one goal on Portland in five meetings. If the Current are to separate…