Why a strong defensive showing by the Reign overcame the KC Current in Seattle

The Kansas City Current went scoreless in Seattle for the second straight season.

A first-half goal from a slightly familiar figure, Reign forward Lynn Biyendolo (formerly Williams), doomed the Current to its second straight National Women’s Soccer League loss, a 1-0 decision late Friday night at Lumen Field.

The Current (5-2-0) got shut out for the first time since September 13, 2024, a 0-0 draw in Orlando. It’s the team’s first shutout loss under coach Vlatko Andonovski.

“It’s unfortunate that we got scored on on a set play,” Andonovski said. “And (it’s) the second game in a row a set play or corner kick decides the outcome of the game.”

The Current’s second straight defeat comes just three weeks after the team set a new National Women’s Soccer League record for consecutive regular-season victories.

The Current trotted out a rotated look vs. the Reign (3-2-2) on Friday. Ellie Wheeler and Izzy Rodriguez came off the bench; the latter had just been announced as part of the NWSL’s Team of the Month for April.

In Rodriguez’s place, Flora Marta Lacho earned her first start since joining the Current this past offseason. And in Wheeler’s place, a fully healthy Hailie Mace.

Andonovski said Rodriguez and Wheeler had been a little overloaded in previous games, which made for a good opportunity to get a look at Lacho in a position at which she’s been training.

“We have been prepping her for that position,” Andonovski said. “One thing that she does well is eliminating pressure, or the first press, which I thought she did. She did a good job combining with players, defended well — there was nothing there that she did that made us question her ability to play in that position.”

Injuries to star forward Temwa Chawinga and Michelle Cooper meant the KC front line looked different, too: Chawinga only played the game’s final 30 minutes. In turn, the Current couldn’t really threaten Seattle in behind.

“Temwa, Michelle and Nichelle (Prince), like that’s their specialty,” Andonovski said. “They are dangerous for the opponent and the space behind the back line. Usually, that’s what opens up the space for other players.”

Seattle’s goal was similar to two of the goals KC conceded in an April 26 loss at the North Carolina Courage. After a set piece and scramble in the box, the ball dropped to Biyendolo with plenty of time and space as multiple Current players over-committed.

Biyendolo, the leading goal-scorer in NWSL history, did what she’s done her whole career and put the ball in the back of the net.

Never mind the finish, though. The sticking point here is that, again, the Current struggled with set-piece scenarios — both in the moment, and in the secondary actions that happen out of them.

“It’s a big sign that we have to be better at that,” Andonovski said. “I thought that we were very good early on in the season … but now, two games in a row, we’re getting hurt by it.”

The Current didn’t muster much in the way of quality chances Friday. But midfielder and captain Lo LaBonta said the team was generating good moments with the ball.

“We were moving the ball, we were finding pockets, we were playing the way we enjoyed to play. It was just in the final third we couldn’t execute,” LaBonta said.

Debinha found the back of the net in the second half but was ruled offside. KC’s best chance in the dying minutes came off a header from Kayla Sharples.

Up next: The Current return home next weekend to CPKC Stadium, hosting Bay FC on Mother’s Day. The Sunday, May 11 match kicks off at 11:50 a.m. Central Time.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.

This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 11:35 PM.