Kansas City NWSL Falls to OL Reign 2-0

TACOMA, Wash. (July 11, 2021) - Kansas City NWSL traveled to Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington to take on the OL Reign, succumbing to a 2-0 loss. This was the first regular season meeting for these teams, having only played once before in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup. OL Reign forward Bethany Balcer scored two first-half goals, which proved to be the difference in Sunday's game. 

The Reign started the scoring early in the third minute when Balcer picked off an errant pass made by KC goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and put it into the back of the net. Balcer extended the lead for the Reign in the 29th minute when she headed in a cross from midfielder Sofia Huerta to make it 2-0. Kansas City had some decent chances after the second goal but could not capitalize on any of their opportunities. 

It appeared Kansas City might have an opportunity to get back in the game in the 70th minute. Forward Jéssica Silva broke towards goal and was tripped by Reign goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi. After initially showing Bouhaddi a yellow card and pointing towards the penalty spot, the referee determined that the foul occurred outside of the penalty box and changed the card to a red card for Bouhaddi.

Kansas City defender Kristen Edmonds took the ensuing free kick and hit the upper far right corner post. The resulting rebound bounced back to a Kansas City player, but the Reign cleared it off the line, keeping the clean sheet. 

Kansas City will now get a 12-day break before returning home for the next game at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. The team hosts the North Carolina Courage on Friday, July 23 with kickoff slated for 7  p.m. CT.  Tickets for the match are available at kansascitycurrent.com/tickets

NWSL Match Report

Match: Kansas City NWSL vs OL Reign

Date: July 11, 2021

Venue: Cheney Stadium, Tacoma, WA.

Kickoff: 6:08 p.m. CT, 7:08 p.m. ET, 4:08 p.m. PT.

Weather: 77 degrees, sunny

Discipline

45’+1’ OL - Barnes (Yellow)

49’ KC - Weber (Yellow)

70’ OL - Bouhaddi (Red)

79’ OL - Marozsán (Yellow)

90’+2’ OL - Le Sommer (Yellow)

Scoring

3’ OL - Balcer 

29’ OL- Balcer (Huerta)

Scoring Summary

Lineups:

OL Reign: Bouhaddi, Barnes (81’ McNabb), Hiatt, Cook, Celia, Fishlock© (81’ Brooks), Marozsán (81’ Cruz), Huerta, Le Sommer, Balcer (81’ Weatherholt), King (73’ Dederick).

Substitutes Not Used : Cox, Hammond, Hedge, Pruitt.

Kansas City: Barnhart, Corsie, Del Fava (87’ Johnson), Edmonds, Weber, Pickett, V., Vincent (63’ McCain), LaBonta, Silva (72’ Vasconcelos), Rodriguez©, Larroquette (45’ Pickett, K.).

Substitutes Not Used: Nelson, Hess, Listro, MIramontez.

TACOMA, Wash. (July 11, 2021) - Kansas City NWSL traveled to Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington to take on the OL Reign, succumbing to a 2-0 loss. This was the first regular season meeting for these teams, having only played once before in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup. OL Reign forward Bethany Balcer scored two first-half goals, which proved to be the difference in Sunday's game. 

The Reign started the scoring early in the third minute when Balcer picked off an errant pass made by KC goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and put it into the back of the net. Balcer extended the lead for the Reign in the 29th minute when she headed in a cross from midfielder Sofia Huerta to make it 2-0. Kansas City had some decent chances after the second goal but could not capitalize on any of their opportunities. 

It appeared Kansas City might have an opportunity to get back in the game in the 70th minute. Forward Jéssica Silva broke towards goal and was tripped by Reign goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi. After initially showing Bouhaddi a yellow card and pointing towards the penalty spot, the referee determined that the foul occurred outside of the penalty box and changed the card to a red card for Bouhaddi.

Kansas City defender Kristen Edmonds took the ensuing free kick and hit the upper far right corner post. The resulting rebound bounced back to a Kansas City player, but the Reign cleared it off the line, keeping the clean sheet. 

Kansas City will now get a 12-day break before returning home for the next game at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. The team hosts the North Carolina Courage on Friday, July 23 with kickoff slated for 7  p.m. CT.  Tickets for the match are available at kansascitycurrent.com/tickets

NWSL Match Report

Match: Kansas City NWSL vs OL Reign

Date: July 11, 2021

Venue: Cheney Stadium, Tacoma, WA.

Kickoff: 6:08 p.m. CT, 7:08 p.m. ET, 4:08 p.m. PT.

Weather: 77 degrees, sunny

Discipline

45’+1’ OL - Barnes (Yellow)

49’ KC - Weber (Yellow)

70’ OL - Bouhaddi (Red)

79’ OL - Marozsán (Yellow)

90’+2’ OL - Le Sommer (Yellow)

Scoring

3’ OL - Balcer 

29’ OL- Balcer (Huerta)

Scoring Summary

Lineups:

OL Reign: Bouhaddi, Barnes (81’ McNabb), Hiatt, Cook, Celia, Fishlock© (81’ Brooks), Marozsán (81’ Cruz), Huerta, Le Sommer, Balcer (81’ Weatherholt), King (73’ Dederick).

Substitutes Not Used : Cox, Hammond, Hedge, Pruitt.

Kansas City: Barnhart, Corsie, Del Fava (87’ Johnson), Edmonds, Weber, Pickett, V., Vincent (63’ McCain), LaBonta, Silva (72’ Vasconcelos), Rodriguez©, Larroquette (45’ Pickett, K.).

Substitutes Not Used: Nelson, Hess, Listro, MIramontez.