Connect with us

KC Current

KC Current down Gotham

Published

6 days ago

on

Thad Bell

The Kansas City Current donned their favorite cosplay as they traveled east to New Jersey to clash with Gotham FC. They filled the roles as the heroes in some Justice League spinoff, trading capes and masks for cleats and shin guards. They entered the fixture banged up as battles with other foes such as the dastardly Orlando Pride and the ignoble Jamaica national team forced key allies Debinha, Alana Cook, and Lo LaBonta to sit out this bout. Would the remaining do-gooders have enough bravery and fortitude to overcome these absences and stymie the riot brewing in Arkham Asylum?

Gotham (they dropped the “NJ/NY” from their name this season) has been one of the most dominant and high-profile teams in the league over the past few years. They won the league title in 2023, they signed what felt like half the USWNT for 2024 (finishing the regular season just ahead of the Current in 3rd place), and are coming off defeating Tigres to win the initial CONCACAF W Champions Cup, earning the team a spot in the upcoming FIFA Women’s Club World Cup and FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. However, in league play this season, Gotham has been very average, entering this match with a 3-3-4 record and sitting in 9th place. They have been a very solid team defensively, conceding only 10 times in 10 games, but most of their offense has funneled through a single player as 7 of their 12 goals scored have come from Spanish international Esther González.

They came out with this starting 11:

Meanwhile, for the visitors, the lineup looked like this:

Coach Andonovski made a few changes to the team that defeated the Chicago Stars 3-1 a couple of weeks ago, slotting Claire Hutton in for the injured LaBonta, Michelle Cooper in for the (also injured) Nichelle Prince, and replacing Izzy Rodriguez with Ellie Wheeler at fullback. Hutton and Cooper returned from playing with the national team in MN and St. Louis and Temwa Chawinga was honored with the league’s player of the month recognition for May (already her second of 2025).

The game kicked off at 12:07 Central Time with a torrential east coast downpour. The teams had the look of sides feeling each other out after a brief international break for all of two minutes before Kansas City’s high press forced an error from USWNT defender Emily Sonnett whose pass was too close to Chawinga. The Malawian found Cooper in space who calmly slotted a first time shot past German keeper Berger.

Almost immediately following the third minute goal, Gotham’s own high pressure forced Mace into a turnover which eventually led to a free header in the box that whistled just wide of Lorena’s post. But then it was actually Kansas City who sprung a perfect counterattack a few minutes later with a DiBernardo pass finding Cooper down the right flank. Michelle returned the favor to Chawinga with a perfectly weighted ball behind the defense. Temwa took a touch to round the keeper and then coolly finish into the open net.

And just like that, the Current had a multi-goal lead eleven minutes into the match.

Gotham, though, weren’t going to simply wilt in front of their home fans. A corner in the 18th minute led to another header within the six, this time from Sonnett, that whizzed just inches outside of the upright.

The hosts, though, would suffer another setback in the 21st minute when attacker Ella Stevens would need to be subbed off after an apparent ankle injury. In the second half Midge Purce would also need to leave due to injury.

The rest of the first half would play out without too many clearcut chances for either side. Both teams would draw a (soft) yellow as Sonnett was carded after clattering into Bia and then Mace got booked with the forearm into an opponent’s back.

In the very wet conditions, there were a lot of players going down on the pitch, and nearly every fall resulted in a whistle and free kick. This contributed to what felt like a stilted flow that likely played into KC’s favor, being up by a pair of goals.

Neither team made changes coming out of halftime and it was the hosts who were on the front foot exiting the locker room. After Mace conceded a corner, Sonnett headed the ensuing cross into the back of the net, momentarily cutting the deficit in half. As Gotham celebrated and lined up at midfield, VAR called the official over to look at the way the national teamer found herself so open. She was deemed, correctly, to have fouled Hutton on the way to connecting with the header.

Mere moments later, VAR was once more called into play as Gotham was convinced Kayla Sharples handled the ball in the box. After several minutes of booth review, no penalty was awarded. The ball did ricochet off of Sharples arm, but she was in the process of tucking it behind her back and wasn’t punished for it.

The Current had a few minutes of pushing for a third but then it was Gotham who once again scored a goal that would be eventually disallowed. A cross came in and Wheeler dove to head it out but the ball fell right to Esther who collected and calmly finished. There was initially no question about the validity of the goal, but right before KC restarted from midfield, the official was informed that Esther had come from an offsides position on the first ball into the box.

For those who are counting, that is three VAR decisions to have gone Kansas City’s way over just the first twenty minutes of the second period. Much like the Current’s victory in Washington early this season, the visitors lived rather dangerously, as no one wants to rely on the generosity of video review to see out a win.

The final quarter of the match was played largely in KC’s defensive end, but unlike the early portion of the half, Gotham wasn’t able to muster much in terms of dangerous chances until it was too late. As the clock ticked past 90, a full 10 minutes of stoppage was displayed by the 4th official. Despite this, KC, including second half subs Izzy Rodriguez, Haley Hopkins, Flora Marta Lacho, and Bayley Feist, successfully (more or less) managed the extra moments.

One of the highlights for Gotham was the return (season debut) of USWNT talisman Rose Lavelle. Lavelle had a few clever touches that perhaps portend brighter days ahead for the Bats, and on this day, in the 101st minute, her presence in the box would result in a DiBernardo own goal to spoil the clean sheet of an otherwise fantastic day at the office for Lorena.

The final statistics read 11 total shots for Gotham to 8 for Kansas City, and 2 vs. 5 attempts on target for each team respectively. Gotham also won the possession battle 62% to 38%, however, all these advantages couldn’t net Gotham the W. Additionally, with her game winning tally, Chawinga is back in the familiar spot, tied with Esther and Barbra Banda, atop the league’s Golden Boot race with seven scores.

The three points earned on the road, coupled with the San Diego Wave‘s defeat Friday night, have KC, at least for the moment, seven points clear of second place in the league standings.

The Current are next in action back home (finally) on Saturday, June 14th, locking horns with Racing Louisville at 6:30 for Pride Night.

Related Topics:

KC Current Contributor

Click to comment
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Recent Comments

KC Soccer Journal in your Inbox!

Be the first to know when news breaks, sign up to get all of our posts sent directly to your inbox.

Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

0
Make your voice heard. Leave a comment!x
()
x