The Kansas City Current extended their historic playoff run by defeating the OL Reign, 2-0, to clinch a spot in the 2022 NWSL Championship.
Kansas City wasted no time in Sunday evening’s away game at Lumen Field in Seattle. In the fourth minute, Kansas City defender and NWSL rookie Alex Loera made the most of a loose ball, her shot unable to be contained by OL Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce (video below).
.@alexisaloera REALLY SAID SEND IT ‼️ pic.twitter.com/3He2H9G4jY
— KC Current (@thekccurrent) October 23, 2022
Kristen Hamilton then made it 2-0 in the 63rd minute (video below).
COOL. CALM. KRISTEN HAMILTON.@khamilton17 | #CurrentRising pic.twitter.com/PBKLjHN9AF
— KC Current (@thekccurrent) October 24, 2022
While OL Reign continued to heap on the pressure -- outshooting Kansas City 16-8 -- goalkeeper AD Franch held strong to earn the clean sheet and tie the NWSL record for most playoff shutouts in league history.
But Franch said her favorite save of the night was one made by Loera, who cleared a lose ball off the goal line.
Q+A: Alex Loera on journey to Kansas City, 2022 NWSL Championship
i mean...that's close. very very close. whole ball over the whole line? #nwsl pic.twitter.com/6vnAZHXiQm
— Steph Yang | Horrible Soccer Goose (@thrace) October 24, 2022
With the win, Kansas City continues its historic season. After finishing last in 2021 -- the first season for the new franchise -- the team went winless in their first five games of 2022. They turned it around, recording a 13-game undefeated streak (second-longest in NWSL history) and finished fifth in the regular season standings.
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Kansas City will face the Portland Thorns in Saturday’s NWSL Championship in Washington, DC. Earlier on Sunday, the Thorns defeated San Diego Wave, 2-1, with a stoppage time goal from Crystal Dunn.
Follow Alex Azzi on Twitter @AlexAzziNBC
