Match Preview: Washington Spirit vs. Kansas City Current
Segra Field | Leesburg, Virginia – Sunday, July 10 at 5:00 PM ET
Players to watch:
Washington’s Jordan Baggett scored her first goal of the season when she scored a header goal in second-half stoppage time in the loss to the Wave. It was Baggett’s fifth career NWSL goal with all of them coming in the second half of matches. Leading the way in total goals scored this regular season, though, is forward Ashley Hatch (four).
Kansas City midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta scored her second goal of the season with a first-half penalty kick and now has three goals since the beginning of last season, all of which came from the spot. LaBonta is one of three NWSL players with 3+ penalty kick goals over the last two seasons, joining Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe (four each). Helping the Current in attack is also forward Kristen Hamilton, who similar to Hatch, leads her side with four goals scored on the year.
Match facts: The Washington Spirit enter this matinee match seeking just their second win of the regular season as they host the Kansas City Current at Segra Field as part of a three-game Sunday slate, and first win since the season’s first match back on May 1.
Washington’s winless run ran to 10 straight league games with a 2-1 loss at San Diego on Sunday. It is the eighth time an NWSL team has gone at least 10 consecutive matches without a win in a single regular season with the Spirit having done so a league-high three different times (2013 and 2018).
Meanwhile, Kansas City earned its first ever road win in NWSL league play with a 2-1 victory at Houston on Friday. The win snapped a 16-game road winless streak, which is tied for the second longest such streak in league history (Boston Breakers – 19, 2014-2016).
The Spirit have won both all-time meetings between the clubs, securing 2-1 victories in each game. While all four of Washington’s goal-scorers from those games are still on the roster, only one isn’t currently with the U.S. Women’s National team, Tara McKeown (the others are Trinity Rodman, Ashley Sanchez and Andi Sullivan).
