KC Current finish Challenge Cup road stretch unbeaten with dominant win at Houston Dash
The Kansas City Current scored early and often Wednesday night in notching a dominant 3-0 road victory over the Houston Dash in the NWSL Challenge Cup soccer tournament at PNC Stadium.
Taylor Leach set a franchise and Challenge Cup record for the earliest goal scored, turning in Hailie Mace’s corner kick with just 1 minute, 40 seconds gone from the clock.
For the first time this season, the Current (2-0-1) entered the scorebook first. And there was no looking back after that.
“We had shown we could compete but, there’s probably a better way to do it than we had been doing it,” Current coach Matt Potter said. “Which was obviously to try and get the first goal, especially on the road when you know (home) teams are going to be the aggressor.”
The early goal allowed the Current to focus on their defense and smash Houston on the counter. Kristen Hamilton scored her second goal of the season in the 28th minute.
Lo LaBonta made it 3-0 on a breakaway that she finished past the Dash goalkeeper in the 60th minute, and that was the icing on the cake as the Current cruised to a comfortable decision.
The Current ran out a more rotated squad than they had in their first two games. Elyse Bennett made her first start and had two assists, Leach, Mallory Weber and Liz Ball each returned and Cassie Miller, acquired in the offseason, made her first appearance in goal, earning the club’s first clean sheet of 2022 in the process.
The Current had learned on Tuesday that one of their star offseason additions, veteran Lynn Williams, would miss the remainder of the season because of a leg injury sustained in the Challenge Cup opener. She was to have surgery for the injury sometime this week, according to a team news release.
While the loss of Williams certainly hurts, Miller pointed to the team’s “next woman up” mentality.
“There’s so much talent in this team,” she said. “Honestly, it’s going to be an exciting season. The next one is going to step up, though. If one person goes down, we’re ready and hungry.”
Bennett made her first professional start on Wednesday. She had two assists and might have score a goal of her own if not for a good save and great defense from the Dash on a KC breakaway.
Potter praised Bennett’s work ethic in preparing herself for the start.
“She knows she’s in good company,” the coach said. “Tonight, you saw her potential. To get two assists and get herself in front of goal and be a constant menace to Houston tonight is a credit to her and how far she’s come in the short time we’ve been together.”
The Current next play Racing Louisville FC in their home opener Saturday afternoon at Children’s Mercy Park. Kickoff is 2 p.m. It’s the first of three straight home matches in the Challenge Cup for the Current.
The Current sit in first place in the Central Division with seven points through three games, all played on the road.
This story was originally published March 30, 2022 at 9:58 PM with the headline "KC Current finish Challenge Cup road stretch unbeaten with dominant win at Houston Dash."