KC Current midfielder records hat trick in historic 21-0 win for home country
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- Rocky Rodriguez, a KC Current player, notched three goals in Costa Rica’s 21-0 win.
- Costa Rica defeated the Cayman Islands 21-0, the largest margin in team history.
- Costa Rica has scored 31 goals and allowed one in CONCACAF W Championship qualifying.
The KC Current women’s soccer team is having a busy international break this week, playing for the Teal Rising Cup on home turf at CPKC Stadium.
At the same time, some of the club’s international players are using the pause in National Women’s Soccer League competition to guide teams from their native lands to significant wins.
Current midfielder Rocky Rodriguez has been leading Costa Rica since 2010, amassing more than 110 caps and 58 goals. Las Ticas is undefeated so far in CONCACAF W Championship qualification ... and had an emphatic and historic win on Friday night.
Ranked 43rd in FIFA’s world rankings, Costa Rica defeated the Cayman Islands (ranked 185th) 21-0 — the largest margin of victory in the team’s history.
That’s right, 21-0. Three touchdowns to 0. And the stats get better ... for Costa Rica, at least.
The Costa Ricans slotted 77 shots — 77 shots! — at the Cayman Islands squad. The Cayman Islands did not respond — not a single shot.
Rodriguez, a 32-year-old defensive midfielder who usually plays farther away from the opposing goal, found the net three times. It was her first hat trick for home country since the 2022 CONCACAF W qualifiers.
For context, Rodriguez hasn’t scored in her two games with the Current; her last NWSL goal was with Angel City FC on June 19, 2024.
Costa Rica was led by Atlético Madrid forward Priscila Chinchilla, who kicked in seven goals.
Costa Rica has allowed just one goal in the qualifying round against lesser teams (Grenada, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands) while scoring 31 goals in three games. Lopsided results are not uncommon in some international competitions, which highlight the wide disparity of talent development and investment between competiting nations.
The Costa Ricans’ final match in this round will be against Guatemala (ranked 83rd) on April 18 at 7 p.m. The two sides are tied in group play and the winner advances to the final tournament.
