Match Preview: Kansas City Current prepare to strike at home for UKG Challenge Cup group finale against Racing Louisville

The Kansas City Current (3-1-1, 10 points) return home for the last of three straight UKG Challenge Cup matches, challenging Racing Louisville (4-0-1, 12 points) for the Central Division crown. The showdown will begin Saturday at 7 p.m. CT. Fans unable to be at the match can stay tuned with Lisa Carlin and Kacey White on Paramount+ or listen in to the KC Current Radio with Dave Borchardt and Nick Vasos, available on the KC Current App.

Kansas City’s most recent matchup added a tenth point to the Current’s UKG Challenge Cup tally. With a draw, the Current earned another clean sheet against the Chicago Red Stars, leaving both teams scoreless through 101 minutes. The last time the Current played in front of the home fans, the group shined with a 3-1 win over Houston Dash and a hat trick from forward Kristen Hamilton. 

Last week’s results for Louisville set the stage for the winner-take-all stakes in this week’s match. Traveling down to Houston to face the Dash, Racing missed out on an opportunity to close out the division. In a tightly contested match, former Louisville forward Ebony Salmon found redemption with her new team, the Dash. Finding an open pocket in the penalty area and scored the first, giving her side the 1-0 lead that would hold through the end of the match. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH 
Kansas City Current midfielder Alex Loera – Loera was sidelined for a foot injury in April, but her impact on the pitch during her recent comeback has been immediate. Marking the center of the field as her territory, Loera’s spatial awareness and ability to create big chances seal her as a key asset in Kansas City’s toolbelt going into Saturday.  

Racing Louisville Defender Elli Pikkujämsä – Pikkujämsä was crucial to Louisville’s last win against Kansas City, as the international player scored her first NWSL goal in the match. A versatile threat from any station on the field, her contribution to the squad has been strong since she joined Racing for the 2023 season from Swedish club KIF Örebro DFF.  

POWER SURGE 
Kansas City has a strong motivator to beat Louisville Saturday: the chance for a first-place spot in the Central Division. Not only that, but the Current will be out to compete for the first win in all competitions against Louisville this season, a deficit that should not be underestimated—especially with what is on the table. This final match of the group stage could do more than get Kansas City into the semifinals, a win could earn the Current home-field advantage for the game, if the proper results hold in other matches. Although positioning in the UGK Challenge Cup is dependent on games across the tournament, the possibility is very real for the returning Central Division champions. 

JULY BEST XI
For her strong performances throughout the last month, the NWSL Best XI for the Month of July, presented by Mastercard, named forward Kristen Hamilton to their list of 11. Hamilton scored a hat trick in UKG Challenge Cup play July 22 to win the match for the Current and tie with the second highest goals scored in tournament’s history. She is also tied for second for NWSL hat tricks (3), one of only seven players to score multiple hat tricks in the league. 

WORLD CUP ERA 
Two-time member of the NWSL Best XI for the Current, Debinha had a world-class game on the international stage for the Brazilian national team. Although Brazil lost the match, Kansas City had a lot to celebrate last week, as Debinha put in her first World Cup goal against France last Saturday. Intercepting a deflected shot, the veteran settled it in the box before pocketing a shot into the net, expertly placing it above the goalkeeper's reach to equalize the game. 

COMMUNITY CHAMPION
KC Scholars awards college scholarships and tuition free job training programs to low- to modest-income individuals in the six-county metropolitan region. KC Scholars provides a one-on-one personal scholar advocate who provides access to support resources to all awardees throughout their journey in college or job training to ensure success and a future of economic stability. To learn more, earn more visit kcscholars.org.

HOMETOWN HERO
Shanelle Smith is the founder and president of HBCU Walking Billboard, a non-profit organization that promotes awareness of, attendance to, and graduation from historically Black colleges and universities. Smith also shows her love for educating young people in her community through her work with students as principal of Lincoln College Preparatory Academy.