KC Current mistakes become Portland goals in Kansas City’s NWSL championship game loss
The Portland Thorns put an end to the Kansas City Current’s Cinderella story Saturday night, winning the NWSL championship 2-0 in front of about 17,000 fans at Audi Field.
NWSL Most Valuable Player Sophia Smith scored for Portland in the fourth minute. A second-half own-goal off Current defender Addisyn Merrick completed the scoreline.
The Current had found a way to come back and win or tie games multiple times this season. But a 2-0 deficit in the final, against this Portland side on this night, was too much to overcome.
“It was more about what we didn’t do for ourselves,” Current coach Matt Potter said. “At the end of the day, we didn’t feel we completely were in sync with ourselves, and we didn’t get to the positions we wanted to get into.
“It was more not about what they did to us, but what we didn’t do for ourselves.”
Portland capitalized on two Kansas City mistakes. Inside the first five minutes, KC’s Elizabeth Ball misplayed a ball that she seemingly had a chance to possess or kick away. Instead, the ever-so-speedy Smith ran clear on goal and dribbled around AD Franch before shooting into an empty net.
The mistakes were frustrating, but Potter was pleased with how his team moved on from them in the moment.
“As soon as it happened, they wanted to get back on the ball,” Potter said. “They weren’t afraid to do that, and that’s the characteristic that we want in players.
“Mistakes are part of the game,” he added. “They’re only defining if you don’t move on from them.”
The Current struggled from the onset and had difficulty maintaining possession. In reality, they never really found much of an offensive rhythm until late in the first half. It looked like they might turn a corner in the second, but the offense had started to cook a little too late.
The Thorns doubled their lead midway through the second half when a cross from Portland’s Yazmeen Ryan ricocheted off Merrick and through Franch before trickling across the line.
Desperate for any kind of spark, the Current eventually brought on Elyse Bennett and changed up their formation. That brought the KC attack to life somewhat, but Portland’s defenders had an answer for everything the Current threw at them.
Former FC Kansas City star Becky Sauerbrunn tracked down every Current runner who managed to slip in behind. Every Current shot or cross had a body in front of it, and Portland was able to threaten by quickly countering.
Losses in moments like this are tough, and for Lo LaBonta, Saturday night’s defeat was especially hard to swallow. She and her teammates know how much support they’ve garnered in Kansas City — plenty of those fans showed up in person for the finale to cheer on the Current at Audi Field.
“The whole time when we didn’t have the support of our city when we were FCKC, we played for each other,” LaBonta said. “The best thing that we did this year is getting the support of the entire city behind us. That’s why it hurts so much, because we improved so much this year.”
Current captain Desiree Scott took pride in the Current’s fight. She and LaBonta applauded the efforts of the team to keep one another positive, even in the low moments late Saturday night.
The message from the captain to close the book on the 2022 season?
“We are a great team, and I think everyone has that belief,” Scott said. “We’re going to go into the offseason prepping for next season with the reminder of this match, and where we can head.”
This story was originally published October 29, 2022 at 9:28 PM with the headline "KC Current mistakes become Portland goals in Kansas City’s NWSL championship game loss."