FC KANSAS CITY READY FOR REMATCH
Team Looking to Even Series at Home on Sunday
FC Kansas City returns home on Sunday, May 11 for a rematch against the Washington Spirit. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00p.m. CT at Verizon Wireless Field at Durwood Stadium. This is the second meeting of the season between these two teams, and is the first match back at home for the Blues after a two-game road trip last week.
FC Kansas City vs Washington Spirit Game Notes
The last time Kansas City played Washington, the Blues lost 3-1. Amy Rodriguez scored the second of her league leading four goals in this match, but Diana Matheson scored twice and Christine Nairn added a free kick goal to hand FC Kansas City their first loss of the season.
This match will be quite different from Kansas City’s point-of-view. The team has ended its experimentation with the 4-4-2 formation and returned to the 4-2-3-1 formation that they were so successful with last season. In this formation, Jenna Richmond and Jen Buczkowski are able to control the midfield, freeing up Lauren Holiday and Erika Tymrak to create offensive opportunities.
FC Kansas City is coming off a tough loss on Wednesday to the Western New York Flash. Playing short-handed, the team was missing three players (Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Holiday, Becky Sauerbrunn) who were with the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) and two more (Liz Bogus, Erika Tymrak) with injuries. Midfielder Melissa Henderson started the match, but was forced to leave in the 17th minute after suffering an injury of her own, and several of her teammates were playing through flu-like symptoms. Despite the difficulties, the team was able to battle for ninety minutes and produce several scoring opportunities, before eventually falling 2-1.
Washington has been idle since facing the Seattle Reign last weekend at home. In that game defender Ali Krieger scored her first goal of the season to give the Spirit the lead, but Seattle’s high powered offense scored two minutes later to tie it up, then Sydney Leroux knocked in the game winner in the 76th minute.
Fresh off her 100th appearance with the USWNT, Lauren Holiday is expected to return to the lineup on Sunday along with Sauerbrunn and Rodriguez. Henderson and Tymrak are training and working towards a return as well.
FC Kansas City celebrates Mother’s Day on Sunday with free admission for all Moms, with additional ticket purchase. In addition, the first 400 mothers in attendance will receive flowers courtesy of COSTCO and Fiddly Fig Florist.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00p.m. CT. on Sunday at Verizon Wireless Field at Durwood Stadium on the UMKC Campus. Tickets are available at the box office on gameday or by calling 855.4KC.GOAL.