KC Current trounce Chicago Red Stars in final home match at Children’s Mercy

October 8, 2023

Brock Wilbur, Tarik Sykes,

// Photo by Tarik Sykes

Last night, in a match that featured five first-half goals, the KC Current defeated Chicago Red Stars 6-3. The teams tied the record for most goals in an NWSL match, achieving the feat for the fourth time—but the first time since 2017. While Current will not advance to the play-offs, the win means Current will not finish dead-last in the league rankings for 2023, and the victory spoiled Chicago’s post-season opportunities.

In the final home game at Children’s Mercy Park—wrapping a year-plus relationship the KC Current ahead of their move to their new stadium—a record attendance of 15.671 showed up to support the team.

For a squad that had no post-season to look forward, it was the kind of match that showed exactly what soaring highs this team is capable of accomplishing when they fire on all cylinders. Izzy Rodriguez scored first for KC at the 14 minute mark, answered almost immediately by Chicago’s Kayla Lynne Sharples, which was then re-answered by Current’s Lo’eau LaBonta. Alex Spaanstra scored for us at the 44 minute mark, and then we had an own goal during stoppage ahead of halftime.

https://twitter.com/AttackingThird/status/1710814146994827436

In the second half, Debinha had a score at the 52 minute mark, marking her 9th goal of the season and setting another club record for individual scoring. This would’ve been Debinha’s second of the night if a previous goal had not been one—of several—abrasively crap calls from a referee team that seemed unaware of the basic reality surrounding them. Home games this season were plagued by some divisive calls, and this wasn’t the worst, but boo’ing certainly echoes through the night air repeatedly.

The 63rd minute had a point from Chicago’s Bianca St-Georges, leading to a long stretch of a 4-3, and another round of near-scores or questionable calls. Then, in stoppage time, Cece Kizer and Mimmi Larsson scored back-to-back points for the Current, leading to the refs calling “mercy” at Children’s Mercy before the full 9 minutes of stoppage played out.

In front of a record crowd, the Current gave everyone a glimpse of what 2023 could have been. Six different players scored for the Current, setting a record for the most goals scored in a single game in club history.

The Current have one more match of the year against NJ/NY Gotham FC on Sunday, Oct. 15 at 4 p.m. in New Jersey.

All photos by Tarik Sykes: