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An explosive second half for FC Kansas City gave them the ability to roll past Boston as they defeated the Breakers 3-0 to move atop the table.
The first half, by comparison, was a very boring half. FC Kansas City controlled possession well and managed to get off five shots on goal but no goals came from the home side. A total of three fouls and no substitutions in the first half allowed the half to end without any stoppage time as both sides searched for an edge.
There was some controversy in the 58th minute. A great ball into the attacking third was knocked out of reach by Boston keeper Ashley Phillips. However replay says that she was out of the box and should've earned a red card, yet no call was made.
The fortunes would soon shift for the Blues. That edge needed going into the second half would come for FC Kansas City off of a Mathias-forced own goal from Boston. Merritt Mathias' cross inside the box in the 72nd minute was deflected off of Boston defender Kia McNeil and into the net for the first goal of the game. It was Mathias' second of the year and it gave the Blues a 1-0 lead late in the half.
However the Blues weren't done just yet. In the 85th minute, Courtney Jones was available in front of the goal after a nice sequence and subsequent pass from Lauren Holiday to put the Blues up 2-0. Jones earned her second goal of the year while Holiday earned her seventh assist in the inaugural season.
The final nail in Boston's coffin would be put in in the 90th minute by a goal-of-the-year candidate. A flick into the air from Lauren Holiday was volleyed into the net by Mathias for her second goal of the match. The shot was volleyed perfectly from the top of the box and right over the head of the Boston keeper Ashley Phillips. It would make FC Kansas City's lead 3-0, which would be the final score just a couple of minutes later.
With the win, the Blues moved atop the NWSL table with 32 points, one point ahead of second place Sky Blue FC and two ahead of Portland. Their stay at the top may be short given that they have played one more match than Sky Blue and two more than Portland. They take on Sky Blue FC Sunday at Yurcak Field before heading to Portland the following week.