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KC Current lose Challenge Cup semifinal in stoppage time

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2 years ago

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Photo Credit: Thad Bell | KC Soccer Journal

A trip to the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Final was on the line tonight as the Kansas City Current hosted the North Carolina Courage at Children’s Mercy Park. With playoff hopes essentially over for the Current, this was a significant game and something meaningful to play for in 2023. A win for both teams would give them an opportunity to host the final on Saturday,  facing the winner of OL Reign vs. Racing Louisville FC.

Starting XI

First half highlight. Slow half, after all.

It was a much slower game for both sides, but the Current spent a significant amount defending against the Courage’s high press while struggling to connect passes and maintaining possession when they had the ball. In the 14th minute, the Courage’s Manaka Matsukubo could have given the Courage the 1-0 lead, with a left-footed shot from outside the box as she was given plenty of space, but it missed wide.

The Courage had plenty of chances: 5 shots, 2 on goals, capitalizing on the Current’s mistakes, but at the half, the score remained 0-0. The Current had 0 shots on goal at the end of the first half, and 32% possession compared to the Courage’s 68% control of the ball.

Second half heartbreak. Well, in stoppage time…

Whatever was said at halftime in the Current locker room seemed to work because the Current changed the momentum of their offense, getting 3 shots, 2 on goal in the 15 minutes of the second half, and they could have taken the lead, with Hailie Mace, Alex Spaanstra, and Michelle Cooper each having opportunities.

But the Courage quickly countered, and the Current found themselves defending in the box against Tess Boade and Kerolin, but Gabby Robinson came up big to poke the ball away from Boade and keep the game at 0-0. The Current had a golden opportunity in the 81st minute after a corner kick. Kate Del Fava jumped for the header, colliding with goalkeeper Casey Murphy, leaving the net just guarded by a group of Courage defenders, and it was enough to keep the ball out of the net as Michelle Cooper took a shot.

As the game looked to go to straight to penalty kicks, by the rules of the Challenge Cup, a struggle in the Current’s box allowed the Courage to make the attempts they needed to take the lead. And they did in the 96th minute as Kansas City defenders failed to cleared the ball away.

Brianna Pinto’s shot found the back of the net, ending the Current’s hopes for hosting the final and winning the Challenge Cup. For the second year in a row, the Courage won a semifinal against the Current at Children’s Mercy Park.

And that pretty much wraps up 2023 hopes and glory for the Current. Thank u, 2023. Next.

 

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Xander Kennedy

I still adore this team and am excited to have season tickets for their new stadium next season, but damn…this year.
I know it’s easy for me to second guess a coach’s decisions, but I feel like Sjöblom got it wrong at almost every opportunity. The team’s defense had been holding strong and they were moments away from a PK shootout, and so she took out Mace (probably the player of the game for KC and someone I’d trust to bury a PK) and inserted Ballisager (who had a very inauspicious first match with the team a few days ago)? She took out Hamilton (one of the all time Challenge Cup scoring leaders) but left in Spaanstra (no professional goals to her name) and inserted Larsson (an underwhelming signee this year)? She gives less than a half to Kizer, one of the team’s most consistent attackers? She inserts Lavogez at the climax of this match when the Frenchwoman is clearly still trying to regain her form? I’m just perplexed and lay the blame for this defeat at the coach’s feet.
As you said, Cindy, “next.”

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Bryan Flores (aka Chzbro)

Agreed about the season. I like Sjoblom but I really hope they have a plan moving forward, because it doesn’t feel like they did after Potter.

Lavogez was poor in her minutes but I probably would have put her in too. The move that bugs me recently is Cooper becoming a starter. I understand that she’s younger and still figuring it out, but imo she makes a lot of mistakes and hasn’t provided enough good to balance it out. She hasn’t met a shot she wouldn’t take, even when it kills the attack. Even so, she somehow missed two sitters in this game, one by leaning back too far and putting it over the goal from 8 yards out. That’s kid stuff. And although I don’t exactly blame her for their winner, she is the player the ball bounced off of before going directly to the goal scorer. She’s not a good defender and she just kind of flicks the ball back across the penalty area, which is just the worst place she could have put it.

If I was seeing improvement I don’t think I would be so frustrated. I’m not seeing it though. Spaanstra has improved. Izzy has too. Robinson. I’m not saying get rid of her or bench her, but I am saying until she starts contributing goals or assists, she should be a 60 minute player, not in there every minute of every match.

Ultimately, this is the second year where I felt like the team was less than the sum of its parts (the first was under Huw in the inaugural season). Part of that is the latest injury apocalypse to afflict the team, but part is the coach too. I still admire the team’s ambition, but we need to start getting some front office hires right pronto.

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