Match Preview: Kansas City Current look for second straight home win as the club prepares to play NJ/NY Gotham FC Sunday

The Kansas City Current (1-3-0, 3pts) remain at home this week to take on NJ/NY Gotham FC (3-1-0, 9pts) for the first time this season. The Current are undefeated all-time against Gotham with two wins and two draws. Kickoff Sunday is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT with JP Dellacamera and Lori Lindsey calling the national broadcast on Paramount+ and Dave Borchardt alongside Jillian Letrinko Carroll on KC Current Radio.

The Current capped off a busy week last Sunday with a 2-0 win over Orlando, the club’s first victory over the Pride. Defender Hailie Mace became the first player in club history to record two assists in the same regular season game. From her position on the wing, Mace was able to set up midfielder Debinha and forward Cece Kizer. The win was the second of the week for Kansas City after a midweek 2-0 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup opening win over the Houston Dash. The week opened with the Current falling 4-2 to the Chicago Red Stars.

Gotham also had three games last week, with the team finding regular season wins against Orlando and North Carolina, plus a Challenge Cup victory over Washington. They are led offensively by forwards Lynn Williams and Midge Purce. Williams has three goals while Purce has supplied the team’s other two scores. Since dropping the first game of the season 2-0 to OL Reign, Gotham has played under a deficit for less than 44 minutes. The idea of quitting has been laid aside by the team as they have found all of their goals in the second half, including two goals in the 10th minute and 17th minute of stoppage time.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kansas City Current defender Izzy Rodriguez – Rodriguez has shown no signs of a sophomore slump. She played in 16 games in 2022 and provided an assist on the game winning goal against Gotham June 11, 2022. This season her energy off the bench has helped the Current finish out games and find success. It was her pressure on Orlando’s goalkeeper that led to Kansas City’s first goal this past Sunday.

NJ/NY Gotham forward Lynn Williams – Williams is tied for second on the list of NWSL’s all-time goal scorers. One of Kansas City’s blockbuster signings prior to the 2022 season, she was injured in the team’s opening Challenge Cup match and only played 81 minutes all season for the Current. Traded to Gotham on draft day, Williams has returned to her goal scoring ways, netting a goal in each of the team’s last three matches.

HOMECOMING
Sunday’s match will be a sort of homecoming for five of Gotham’s players. Besides Williams, Kristen Edmonds played for Kansas City in 2021 and 2022. An important part of the club’s backline, she still holds club records for Games Started and Minutes Played. Goalkeeper Abby Smith was one of the original players assigned to Kansas City’s roster shortly after the team returned in 2021. In addition, midfielders Sinead Farrelly was one of the first players signed to the roster of FC Kansas City prior to the original 2013 season and midfielder Kristie Mewis was FCKC’s first ever pick in the 2013 NWSL Draft.

STADIUM UPDATES
The KC Current Stadium development continues as the team prepares to open play there in 2024. This month, vision of the stadium became real as construction went vertical for the first time. Steel erection has begun, concrete retaining walls are being built, concrete footings and walls are emerging, and the foundation of the building has become evident. West pitch access, concrete stairs and walls have been excavated and rebar prepared. It’s all part of the stadium site evolving from more than just dirt and sand to the actualization of a dream.

In other news, sustainability and public transportation are part of the bigger picture making KC Current Stadium come to fruition. One of many ways to travel to a match or event will be on the KC Streetcar. While the stadium is being built along the Missouri River, the KC Streetcar Riverfront Extension track is also being laid. Recently the KC Streetcar announced the system is being extended north to Berkely Riverfront and just steps away from the brand-new stadium. The KC Streetcar Riverfront Extension is anticipated to break ground in summer 2023 and be ready to ride in 2025.

POWERFUL WOMEN IN FOOTBALL
As Kansas City finishes hosting the NFL Draft, the KC Current will honor several notable women in football. At halftime, Ottawa University Women’s Flag Football coaches Katie and Liz Sowers will be honored as Hometown Heroes, presented by Midwest Ford. Katie has coached for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. She is the first openly gay coach and first female coach in Super Bowl history. She also played on the 2013 USA Women’s National Football team, which won the IFAF Championship, defeating Team Canada. 

Liz is in her third season as head coach of the OU Flag Football program, leading the Braves to back-to-back NAIA National Championships, KCAC regular season championships and KCAC tournament championships. She currently plays quarterback for the Kansas City Glory in the WNFC. She was also named head coach of USA Football’s 2022 U17 Flag National Team. 

Kansas City Glory general manager Krishna Lee will lead the stadium in the KC Baby chant to start the match. Lee was a 2x WNFC All-Pro selection and 2022 WNFC and KC Glory Defensive Player of the Year. Now, as general manager, she hopes to create an environment, an organization where all players feel encouraged, challenged, loved, and pushed to reach their greatest potential on the field, in the community, and in their personal lives.

COMMUNITY CHAMPION
WeCodeKC will be honored as Sunday’s Community Champion of the Match. WeCodeKC gives youth the opportunity to learn technology concepts and leadership skills; creating a pipeline of future-ready professionals through project-based learning and innovative programs. The organization serves the urban core of Kansas City, exposing youth to various computer science concepts.