Kansas City wins at home again, dropping Louisville 2-1

Kansas City NWSL earned their second straight win at home with a 2-1 victory over Racing Louisville. Kristen Hamilton scored her first goal for Kansas City, the game winner. It was Hamilton’s 100^th in NWSL.

Hamilton was key for Kansas City’s first goal. It would start when Victoria Pickett pounced on a slow pass by Louisville and Kansas City was off to the races. Pickett drove towards goal before she slid the ball out to Hamilton. She took a touch and crossed it low across the six-yard-box. Pickett had continued her run down the middle and Hailie Mace on the side applied the pressure to the Louisville. Defender Erin Simon tried to clear the ball but instead put it past her own keeper and there was nothing Michelle Betos could do. With the own goal by Louisville, Kansas City took the lead in the 17^th minute.

Kansas City kept up the pressure and broke through again in the 40^th minute. This goal started by solid defense by Kiki Pickett who held off a persistent attack by Kansas City native Cece Kizer. Pickett created some space and passed to defender Elizabeth Ball. A quick pass forward to Mace and then to Hamilton broke all three of Louisville’s lines in a couple seconds. Hamilton received the through ball and drove towards goal briefly, only taking one touch to line up on goal before unleashing a shot from outside the box. Bretos was caught in transition and Hamilton’s shot made the score 2-0.

The first half had been mostly dominated by Kansas City but Louisville came out stronger in the second half. In the 65^th minute, Kizer made a run through the Kansas City defense where a Nadia Nadim pass found the Louisville attacker. Kizer put it near post, beating Adriana Franch.

It was the only goal Franch gave up and Kansas City took the victory.

Discipline

10’ KC – Ball (Yellow)

27’ LOU – Nadim (Yellow)

45’ +2 KC – LaBonta (Yellow)

50’ KC – Weber (Yellow)

72’ KC -Vincent (Yellow)

88’ LOU – Miramontez (Yellow)

90’ +2 LOU – Miramontez (Red, Second Yellow)

Scoring

18’ KC – Own Goal

40’ KC – Hamilton (Mace)

64’ LOU – Kizer (Nadim)

Lineups:

Kansas City: Franch, Weber (72’ Vincent), Edmonds©, Ball, Pickett, K., Bowen, LaBonta, Pickett, V., McCain (74’ Logarzo), Mace (46’ Jenkins), Hamilton (86’ Silva).

Substitutes Not Used: Rowland, Del Fava, Miramontez, Larroquette, Vasconcelos

Racing Louisville: Betos©, Fox (71’ Ashley), Riehl, Bonner, Simon (46’ Miramontez), Oloffson (46’ Otto), McCaskill, Nagasato (71’ Millet), Kizer, Nadim (71’ Baucom), Salmon.

Substitutes Not Used: Lund, Martin, Ekic, McClure