Match Preview: Kansas City Current travel to face Racing Louisville in third straight road match

The Kansas City Current (5-9-0, 15pts.) are on the road for the third straight match, this time traveling to Kentucky to face Racing Louisville (3-4-7, 16pts.) at Lynn Family Stadium Friday, July 7 at 7 p.m. CT. Lisa Carlin, Aly Trost Martin and Jordan Angeli will have all the action on KMCI, 38 the Spot and KC Current Radio for fans in the Kansas City area, while Mike Watts and Saskia Webber call the action nationally on Paramount+.

The Current enter the game on a hot streak. The club has beat the Orlando Pride and Portland Thorns in consecutive road victories and won four of the past six matches across all competitions. Last week’s win over the Thorns was the first ever for the club.

Early in the match, Kansas City pressured the Portland defense from both sides with rookie forward Michelle Cooper and Alexa Spaanstra driving in from both wings while veteran forward Kristen Hamilton directed traffic from the middle. Around the half-hour mark Spaanstra attacked Portland veteran Meghan Klingenberg on the right side. As she beat the former U.S. National Team defender, Spaanstra was taken down in the penalty box. Cooper stepped up to the spot and converted the ensuing penalty kick to give Kansas City the lead. After that, the Current played team defense as the Thorns tried relentlessly for the equalizer. Despite getting off 26 shots, Portland was only able to put 9 on target.

Racing Louisville played to a draw for a league-leading seventh time last week against OL Reign. For the third time this season, Racing jumped out to a 2-0 lead against its opponent. Midfielder Wang Shuang scored on a penalty in 24th minute and defender Paige Monaghan seemingly sealed the win with a 76th minute score. However, OL Reign fought back and scored twice after the 80th minute to equalize. The match was the club’s first since losing four players to international duty.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kansas City Current defender Jenna Winebrenner – The second-year defender has stepped up while injuries have hampered the Current’s midfield and defense. She’s started four matches in regular season play this year and once in the Challenge Cup, after starting all but one Challenge Cup game in her rookie season with the Current.

Racing Louisville midfielder Kayla Fischer – Racing Louisville’s first round draft pick will look to make her mark while many staple starters are absent for the 2023 FIFA World Cup. A two-time All-Big Ten selection for Ohio State, she tallied 28 goals and 20 assists in five seasons. The midfielder scored her first professional goal in UKG NWSL Challenge Cup play against the Houston Dash earlier this year. 

DEFENSE, DEFENSE
Earning an impressive clean sheet in last week’s regular season match against the Portland Thorns, Cassie Miller was nominated for the NWSL’s player of the week and save of the week. With nine saves during the 90-minute stretch, Miller protected the Current’s one-goal lead, and helped snap the Thorns’ streak of scoring in 18 consecutive games at home. Each of Portland’s 26 shots against the Current were denied thanks to the strong efforts by the defensive line, who stopped the Thorns from finding a single goal during the game. Also ending Portland’s win streak at home, the Current earned the club’s first win over Portland.

COVERING NEW GROUND
Michelle Cooper made NWSL history with the fastest goal in the league at 22 seconds against the Washington Spirit in June. To start out the month of July, Cooper also became the second-youngest player in the NWSL to convert a penalty. After a foul committed by Portland’s Meghan Klingenberg on Alexa Spaanstra, the referee awarded a penalty kick to the Current. Handed the ball from forward Cece Kizer, Cooper took her place behind the tick mark, and with a winding run, she placed it in the corner of the net. Asked what advice the veteran Kizer offered before giving her the ball, Cooper was given one simple command: “Blast it!”

BEFORE THE BREAK
Kansas City Current’s game against Racing Louisville will mark the team’s last regular season match before a week-long break leading into UKG NWSL Challenge Cup play. Challenge Cup matches will occur during the World Cup, where multiple Current players will be expected to join the international tournament. The Current have won the last two regular season matches, working the way up two spots in the standings with the consecutive wins. Kansas City’s victory in Portland pushed the Thorns out of first place in the league and put Kansas City in a better position to reach the playoff line. Contrasting with the Current, Racing Louisville is coming into the head-to-head matchup from a tie and a loss, respectively, in its last two games.

BEST XI
Recognized for her strong performances throughout June, Debinha earned a spot on the NWSL’s Best XI for the month. This is the midfielder’s second time on the list, the first being in March/April. Debinha has scored in all but one game across all competitions during the month. With four goals and an assist in the team’s three wins out of five matches played, she is now tied for 10th in NWSL career goals. She recently added her 41st goal against the Orlando Pride which features a couple of her future World Cup teammates, Adriana and Marta, who she will join on Brazil’s national team for the tournament.