Preview: KC Current visit OL Reign as both teams look for first win of the regular season

MATCH INFO

Who: OL Reign vs Kansas City Current

When: Wednesday, May 25 at 9 p.m. CT

Where: Lumen Field – Seattle, Wash.

How to watch/listen: Broadcast on KMCI 38 The Spot, Radio on Sports Radio 810 WHB

Stream on Paramount+, Twitch (Internationally)

The Kansas City Current (0-3-1, 1 pt) stay on the west coast to face OL Reign (0-1-3, 3 pts) at Lumen Field on Wednesday, May 25 for a 9:00 p.m. CT. This is the final game in Kansas City’s three-game road trip.

After a strong Challenge Cup run for both squads, the regular season has not been so kind. The Current and the Reign lost in the semifinals of the Challenge Cup but are winless in four matches of the regular season.

The Current have not had much luck in the regular season, a couple controversial penalty calls, an own goal and playing very short-handed with injuries and players in covid protocols.

Kansas City lost to Angel City FC 1-0 on Saturday but held the home side scoreless except for a Current own goal in the 70^th minute. A positive performance from a very short handed team.

“It’s been a really good energy amongst the group, and we’re determined to not quit and not and not let adversity get to us and we’re controlling what we can control,” assistant coach Lloyd Yaxley explained. “The energy has been really, really positive. So hopefully the performance is positive, like it was in LA. And then hopefully the result is even more positive.”

The Current have two players on Season Ending Injury list, (US international Lynn Williams and Mallory Weber). Then US star Sam Mewis barely playing a few minutes early on (with no timeline when she returns) and Australian national Chloe Logarzo also out long term, plus a few other injures and covid protocols, it has been a short bench for Kansas City.

Add in schedule congestion from the deep Challenge Cup run and it has been tough for the Current to field a full game day roster.

“We’re trying to control the things that we can control, and we’re just really trying to take it in our stride, and whatever obstacles come our way, that’s part of the season. We have a squad with enough depth that can help us help us deal with that,” Yaxley stated.

OL Reign drew the Washington Spirit 0-0 on Sunday afternoon, earning their third straight draw.

“They’re a really good team,” Yaxley acknowledged. “ They have lots of talented players, their possession based, and they’re going to try and stretch us as much as possible. I think it’s about us being disciplined in the right moment. When we want to press, making sure that the distances between each of our players is tight and that we’re compact within our lines. We’re hoping if we do that, that we can that we can create some successful turnovers and maybe catch some on the counter-attack every now and then. So, we’re hoping for a disciplined performance from the group.”

Aviailability

Kansas City

OUT:

Chardonnay Curran (Covid protocol)

Chloe Logarzo (right leg)

Hailie Mace (Covid protocol)

Sam Mewis (right leg)

Mallory Weber (SEI – right leg)

Lynn Williams (SEI – right leg)

QUESTIONABLE:

Izzy Rodriguez (illness)

Lo’eau LaBonta (illness)

Maddie Nolf (right leg)

(the good news is these three players moved from the out list)

OL Reign

N/A

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kansas City forwards Elyse Bennett and Kristen Hamilton have provided the bulk of the offense for Kansas City in the regular season.

OL Reign midfielder Jessica Fishlock and Rose Lavelle are two of the many starts the Reign bring to the match.