Playoff-bound KC Current enjoy fun Sunday, beating Spirit in regular-season home finale
After finishing dead last in the National Women’s Soccer League last season, their first of existence, there was nowhere to go but up for the Kansas City Current.
The Current have gone up all right — to the upper echelon of the 12-team league. The Kansas City club routed the defending NWSL champion Washington Spirit 3-0 on Sunday at Children’s Mercy Park to clinch the first playoff berth in the brief history of the organization.
“There are so many good people trying to do good things for this club, and move it in a direction that ownership has set,” coach Matt Potter said. “Today kind of rubber-stamped that we’re moving in the right direction.”
Lo’eau LaBonta, Cece Kizer and Claire Lavogez scored for the Current (10-5-6), who also got a clean sheet in goal from keeper AD Franch.
The Current certainly handled their own business Sunday afternoon. They laid siege to the Spirit’s goal from the outset, with LaBonta opening the scoring in the 18th minute on a blast from distance into the top corner of the Washington net.
The Current seemingly scored two more goals (both nullified by the offside flag) before finally and officially recording No. 2 in the 38th minute — Kizer’s seventh goal of the year.
Kizer, who came to her hometown Current via a midseason trade from Racing Louisville, and LaBonta share the team lead for goals.
Just three minutes after Kizer’s goal, another summer newcomer, Frenchwoman Claire Lavogez, tapped home a pass from Kristen Hamilton to make it 3-0.
The front three of Hamilton, Kizer, and Lavogez caused problems for Washington all day. Their movement, and constant runs in behind the back three of Washington was nearly unstoppable.
It wasn’t just the movement though, it was their understanding of where the other was at, and which gap needed to be filled. It’s a connection that takes time, and something they’ve nailed down very quickly.
“It’s difficult because I just came here, but I think it’s better,” Lavogez said of her connection with Kizer and Hamilton. “It’s better than the beginning, and today, it was very good.”
At halftime, up 3-0, the Current made it a focus to keep Washington off the board, especially with the attacking talent they were able to bring off the bench with USWNT members Trinity Rodman and Ashley Sanchez.
“We challenged the group to get a clean sheet, and that was the most important piece,” Potter said.
Alex Loera, a potential Rookie of the Year candidate, was part of that back line that kept the clean sheet helping shut down Sanchez. She thinks the clean sheet sent a message, given how difficult it can be to shut out opponents in the NWSL.
“We knew that we wanted to win by two or more,” Loera said. “But we also knew that we wanted a clean sheet. And so for us to go out and do that was absolutely amazing. Our team defending as a whole spoke for itself.”
The Current close out the regular season in Louisville next weekend. They were in third place when their Sunday game ended, though they could potentially slip to fourth based on other results around the league later Sunday night.
With a draw or win in their regular-season finale next Saturday at Louisville, they would clinch a home playoff match.
This story was originally published September 25, 2022 at 5:59 PM with the headline "Playoff-bound KC Current enjoy fun Sunday, beating Spirit in regular-season home finale."