Preview: USWNT vs New Zealand in Kansas City

After splitting results versus Portugal, the USWNT will face New Zealand in Kansas City Wednesday night. The match will be the first time the USWNT has played at CPKC Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Current. The match will kick off at 7:00 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on TNT, truTV & HBO Max, & Peacock.

The significance of playing at CPKC Stadium was never far from the conversations with coaches and players. The Current have been constantly praised for building the first stadium for women, the training center and much more. After crowds of 17,297 in Pennsylvania and 26,492 in Connecticut, CPKC will be smaller with 11,500 capacity. The total attendance will not be the significant point but instead recognizing the efforts of the Current and their ownership to grow the game for women.

A Current Quartet

It will be a special match for four players; the stadium and city is not new to them. It might be the first time at CPKC for the National Team, but it is the home of Claire Hutton, Michelle Cooper, Lo’eau LaBonta and Ally Sentnor.

The Current quartet was peppered with questions from their teammates regarding Kansas City. Places to eat, get coffee and even eyebrow threading recommendations were handed out. LaBonta brought her dog, Amigo to visit. “He’s definitely brought some smiles to camp,” she happily told media. “Everyone loved him, I think we are going to have to do a signup sheet for next time, everyone wants him.”

U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Emma Hayes was asked about those four players, and she turned thoughtful as she often does when replying to questions.

Hayes started with LaBonta, the oldest player in camp and the one with the least amount of caps from the Current contingent, having just receiving her first callup this past summer.

“I remember having this conversation with Vlatko (Andonovski) about her. She’s been a constant in this team in terms of performance and delivery. She’s always been a player that’s sustained her performance, game after game, season after season, and is deserving of being in the place to compete to be in this team,” Hayes responded.

“I think she has an understudy in Claire Hutton that is going to be a fine center midfielder for this country, the development and grounding both in playing youth national team tournaments, this is so essential, plus NWSL. Starting for her team, not just one season but two seasons is really giving her the foundation to be able to perform at our level, maybe at a slightly earlier age but she needs somebody like Lo to guide her and I think she’s doing a great job with her,” Hayes explained.

“I think Michelle Cooper is a firecracker that every team needs,” Hayes continued. “That personality, she’s dynamic, she gets people out of their seats. I think especially this season. I think she’s adding even more quality in the final third, something we keep asking of her. There’s a reason they’ve (KC Current) been the most consistent team across the league.”

“I think Ally Sentnor just coming to the club, I’ve been told she’s been outstanding in training coming into this environment. But when you come into a top environment, you might not get everything all at once, but if there’s one player who I know that is determined, no matter the obstacle, no matter the realities of a situation, that will make things happen, it’s absolutely Ally Sentnor,” Hayes stated.

“This quartet has been driving the standards here at this club, and it’s why they are an outstanding team in the NWSL this year,” Hayes said.

Youth

The first game was a more experienced lineup that struggled to solve Portugal in a 2-1 loss. Hayes replied with a very young lineup to start the second match versus Portugal and they secured the 3-1 victory. The USWNT have amazing veteran players but are benefiting from a wave of younger players pushing them.  Sentnor, Cooper and Hutton are part of that young core that is powering the USWNT present but also building the base for an even better future. In 2025, 47% of the USWNT’s goals and assists involved a player under 25.

Goals scored by players under 25:

• • 4 by 21-year-old Ally Sentnor
  • 2 by 20-year-old Alyssa Thompson
  • 2 by 20-year-old Olivia Moultrie
  • 1 by 22-year-old Michelle Cooper
  • 1 by 22-year-old Trinity Rodman
  • 1 by 23-year-old Avery Patterson
  • 1 by 19-year-old Claire Hutton

Assists by players under 25:

• • 3 from Sentnor
  • 2 from Thompson
  • 2 from 20-year-old Jaedyn Shaw
  • 1 from Cooper
  • 1 from 24-year-old Emma Sears
  • 1 from 19-year-old Olivia Moultrie
  • 1 from 19-year-old Claire Hutton
  • 1 from 21-year-old Lilly Reale
  • 1 from 23-year-old Avery Patterson

A chance to be on the home team in KC

With how dominant the Current have been under Andonovski and moving to the new stadium, many of the NWSL players have already competed at CPKC but not enjoyed it. “I can’t say I have too many fond memories here as a (Portland) Thorn but I am very happy to be on the team that people will be cheering for here,” midfielder Sam Coffey told media. “It’s such a cool environment, anytime I’ve played here I appreciated the energy, the vibe and the passion of the fans. To be on the home team will be really fun.”

A homecoming of sorts

Katie Bowen started her career in the United States, a more significantly, started her pro career in Kansas City. Bowen was drafted by FC Kansas City in 2016 by Current head coach Andonovski. She was part of the roster that moved to Utah when FC Kansas City was dissolved and then returned to Kansas City when the same thing happened to Utah.

The Rosters

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position (Club; Caps/Goals)

October Matches vs. Portugal & New Zealand

GOALKEEPERS (3): Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 3) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 4), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 4)

DEFENDERS (8): Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign FC; 3/0), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 69/1), Eva Gaetino (Paris St-Germain, FRA; 1) Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 9/0), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 8/1), Lilly Reale (Gotham FC; 3/0), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 5/0), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 112/2), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave; 0/0)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 40/5), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 168/38), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 8/1), Lo’eau LaBonta (Kansas City Current; 3/0), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC; 114/26), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 10/4), Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham FC; 28/8), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 10/1)

FORWARDS (6): Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 9/1), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 25/11), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash; 14/2), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville; 10/1), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current; 13/4), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea FC, ENG; 24/3)

NEW ZEALAND WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION 

Goalkeepers (3): 21-Victoria Esson (Wellington Phoenix FC), 37-Alina Santos (University of Denver, USA)

Defenders (9): 2-Kate Taylor (Dijon FCO, FRA), 3-Claudia Bunge (Melbourne Victory, AUS), 5-Meikayla Moore (Calgary Wild FC, CAN), 14-Katie Bowen (Inter Milan, ITA), 15-Grace Neville (Ipswich Town, ENG), 19-Elizabeth Anton (Kolbotn IL, NOR), 25-Mackenzie Barry (Wellington Phoenix FC), 27-Michaela Foster (Durham FC, ENG), 28-Lara Wall (Wellington Phoenix FC), 39-Rebecca Lake (Vancouver United, CAN)

Midfielders (7): 10-Annalie Longo (Aukland United), 22-Hannah Blake (Durham FC, ENG), 26-Maya Hahn (FC Viktoria Berlin, GER), 29-Katie Kitching (Sunderland FC, ENG), 30-Manaia Elliot (Wellington Phoenix FC), 32-Emma Pijenburg (Feyernoord Rotterdam, NED), 38-Deven Jackson (Melbourne City FC, AUS)

Forwards (5): 9-Milly Clegg (Halifax Tides FC, CAN), 16-Jacqui Hand (Kolbotn IL, NOR), 17-Gabi Rennie (Eskilstuna United DFF, SWE), 20-Indiah-Paige Riley (Crystal Palace, ENG), 34-Kelli Brown (Newcastle Jets, AUS)