FC KANSAS CITY OPENS PRESEASON WITH WIN

Jen Buczkowski Scores Hat Trick in 5-0 Victory

PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. (March 18, 2024) – FC Kansas City opened its exhibition schedule with a 5-0 victory over the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Midfielder Jen Buczkowski scored a hat trick to lead all scorers while Merritt Mathias and rookie Morgan Marlborough each chipped in with scores.

It didn’t take long for the Blues to establish their dominance. In the second minute Buczkowski found Marlborough holding off her defender in the penalty box. A quick pass to the second round draft pick was quickly returned to her in a position for an easy one touch shot to the far post.

In the eight minute her early hard work paid off when 2024 Rookie of the Year Erika Tymrak found her streaking into the penalty box on the right side. Running onto the pass, she turned and placed her shot into the right side upper corner of the goal.

Midfielder Liz Bogus, acquired in the offseason from the Seattle Reign, had a very big presence in the match as well. Playing the left wing, she continuously fought for possession and outworked the defense to the corner for crossing passes into the box. In the twelfth minute, she drove to the end line on the left side of the goal. Coming up the line she found Marlborough at the near post who then quickly touched the pass to the penalty spot where Mathias was waiting with an empty goal in front of her.

Buczkowski scored her second goal of the half in the 35th minute. Holding possession, FC Kansas City was putting on a beautiful display of passing around the perimeter of the Missouri penalty box. With the ball at the top of the box, Tymrak laid a pass between three defenders to a running Leigh Ann Robinson. The defender took the ball to the goal line, drawing the entire defense to her, then lobbed a chip pass to the head of Buczkowski who was wide open behind the crowd. The score gave FC Kansas City a 4-0 lead as the teams broke for halftime.

Head coach Vlatko Andonovski took the opportunity to see several different players in action as the second half started. Melissa Henderson, Maegan Kelly, Sara Keane, Shelina Zadorsky and Frances Silva all lined up for the kickoff. Meanwhile Marlborough, Bogus, Nicole Barnhart, Kassey Kallman, and Erika Tymrak all took up a seat on the bench.

With several new faces on the field, the flow of the game was much more two-sided than the first half. Both teams played strong in the midfield. The Blues were able to penetrate the Tigers defensive lines several times, but could not get their shots past the Missouri goalkeepers.

The second half stalemate was finally broken in the 78th minute. Defender Leigh Ann Robinson, who was second on the team last year in assists, streaked up the left side with the ball. She placed a perfect low pass across the penalty box where Buczkowski ran on and hit her shot into the net with one-touch.

FC Kansas City Exhibition Match Report

Match: FC Kansas City vs University of Missouri Date: March 18, 2024 Venue: University of Missouri Walton Stadium, Columbia, MO Kickoff: 6:30p.m. CT

Scoring Summary

  1

  2

  F

FC Kansas City

  4

  1

  0
University of Missouri

  0

  0

  0

 

Team Scorer (Assist) Time
FCKC Jen Buczkowski (Morgan Marlborough) 2’
FCKC Marlborough (Erika Tymrak) 8’
FCKC Merritt Mathias (Marlborough) 12’
FCKC Buczkowski (Leigh Ann Robinson) 35’
FCKC Buczkowski (Robinson) 35’

Lineups: FCKC: Barnhart (Keane); Williams, Phillips, Kallman (Zadorsky), Robinson, Buczkowski, Richmond (Rose), Mathias (Dreska), Tymrak (Silva), Bogus (Kelly), Marlborough (Henderson)