Kansas City Current could seal an unbeaten run through June with win on Saturday

The Kansas City Current took a beating in the month of May, dealing with injuries, COVID and just plain unlucky results on the field.

But a win to finish last month’s schedule sparked a three-match unbeaten streak and some exciting new additions have the Current poised to perhaps make a run this summer.

“I think we’re showing a consistency that we’ve been striving for,” coach Matt Potter said. “We’ve been in every game we’ve played, but we’re starting to dictate things a little bit more, and you’re starting to see the way we want to do things come out a little bit more over more consistent moments and times of play.”

That win to close out May against Louisville wasn’t the prettiest, but the Current showed promising signs during the second half. They’ve looked the better team on the field in their last two matches, and if it weren’t for a few unfortunate bounces against San Diego, they could’ve come away with a win.

Defender Alex Loera thinks that the consistency of practice time and games during this stretch has helped the team regroup and get into a better routine.

“At the beginning of the season, when it was ‘go go go,’ that was really difficult and hard to manage,” Loera said. “But as we get into this routine it’s gotten easier. It definitely helps with tht body and treatment, just making sure that everything’s good there.”

Now, with a win on Saturday against the Chicago Red Stars — a team they’ve already beaten twice in the Challenge Cup — the Current could take another big step in the right direction. The match against the second-place team in the NWSL kicks off at Children’s Mercy Park at 7:30 pm.

The Red Stars are on a run themselves, having gone unbeaten in their last six matches. They, too, are a team hard hit by injuries: Just last Saturday they lost stud defender Kayla Sharples for the rest of the season, as she tore her ACL and MCL.

Potter doesn’t think that will deter their strong opponents.

“When one’s gone down, somebody (else) comes in — and you go, ‘Gosh they haven’t skipped a beat,’” Potter said. “I think that speaks to the professionalism of their group. They were in the final last year for a reason.”

The Current have lost Lynn Williams and Mallory Weber to season-ending injuries. The status of Sam Mewis, another big-time offseason signing, also remains unclear. But they were able to make some moves for strong players to fill those voids.

Cece Kizer and Addisyn Merrick, prized additions acquired from Louisville last week, have now had a full week of training under their belts and have even been asking for extra meetings to get up to speed.

“To be perfectly honest, (training) today, you wouldn’t know that they haven’t been here,” Potter said.

Could Mewis come back and help the Current make a run? Their blockbuster midfield signing from the offseason has been out with a knee injury for some time, and there’s simply no update on the timetable for her return.

Potter did say that he believes she has taken an “exciting” step toward a possible return this season.

“It must be an emotional roller-coaster for her and the way she handles it on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “She took another step forward, and personally I hope she continues to take those steps forward because we’ll be a better team when she’s on the field.”

This story was originally published June 16, 2022 at 1:40 PM with the headline "Kansas City Current could seal an unbeaten run through June with win on Saturday."