Kansas City Current advances to Summer Cup semifinals with 4-1 victory over Tigres
The Kansas City Current advanced to the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup semifinals with a 4-1 victory over Tigres on Thursday night at CPKC Stadium.
With the win, the Current finished atop its group, earning nine of nine possible points. The club finished with a goal differential of plus-8 and will be the highest seed in the cup semifinals, which will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at CPKC Stadium.
Eighteen-year-old midfielder Claire Hutton scored her first professional goal in the 80th minute. She hit a powerful strike from the edge of the box that Tigres goalkeeper Aurora Santiago couldn’t keep out, parrying it into the top corner.
“Anyone knows to score your first professional goal is just surreal,” Hutton said after the match. “To finally be able to do it is amazing. And being able to do it in Kansas City is just unreal. I think when I saw the shot open up and took it, and it went in, it didn’t feel real.”
Hutton has come close to scoring. Being a young player in her first professional season, KC Current coach Vlatko Andonovski has stressed letting the moments come to her instead of forcing things.
“I think sometimes I’ve been caught rushing or forcing things,” Hutton said. “That (goal) was a moment where it presented itself, and then I was able to take it.”
Andonovski said conversations with Hutton throughout the season have been taken the right way.
“She has kept proving to herself that, first and foremost, she’s a good pro,” Andonovski said. “She’s a player that is not just gonna represent this team, but also a player that is ready to represent this country as well.”
Hutton had one post-match shoutout for her 14-year-old little brother, Scott. Claire Hutton said he texts her after every game.
“Whenever I have a shot or something, he texts and he’ll be like, ‘You know that ball is supposed to be in the net?’” Hutton said. “So, shoutout to Scott Hutton. This one’s for you.”
Other Current players had no issue finding the net, either.
Lo LaBonta opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. A Tigres foul near the right-hand side of the box set up a free kick for the Current. As Vanessa DiBernardo whipped in a cross, Santiago tried to jump it, reading the ball going toward the middle of the box. But LaBonta jumped and headed the ball at the near post into an empty net.
Minutes later, Hailie Mace played a perfect pass into the box for DiBernardo, who again played an accurate cross to the back post. Ellie Wheeler was all alone for an easy header to double the Current’s lead.
In the second half, Thembi Kgatlana scored for Tigres to make it 2-1; her shot slipped through goalkeeper AD Franch’s clutches at the near post.
Debinha answered instantly to make it 3-1 with a right-footed rocket into the far corner. Hutton’s goal made it 4-1.
Semifinal details: The Current’s opponent for the Summer Cup semifinal round will be released in the coming days. An in-stadium announcement said that match will take place at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6. The other match will be at 4 p.m.
Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.
This story was originally published August 1, 2024 at 9:36 PM with the headline "Kansas City Current advances to Summer Cup semifinals with 4-1 victory over Tigres."