Match Recap: Seattle Reign FC Falls in Kansas City

On a hot evening at CPKC Stadium, Seattle Reign FC fell 5-2 to the Kansas City Current. Reign forward Jordyn Huitema netted a first half brace, but the Current answered back, leveling the score before half time. The home side managed to add three goals in the second half while holding the Reign scoreless, resulting in a Reign loss on the road. 

Seattle had a strong start to the match, pressing forward into the attack almost immediately. Huitema showed her skill early on, slipping a well-weighted ball through Kansas City’s backline to forward Veronica Latsko, who fired off a shot in the second minute and earned a corner for the Reign. The ensuing corner kick also threatened the Current, as defender Sofia Huerta crossed a ball to the head of Huitema, but the shot did not find the frame of the goal. 

As the teams settled into the match, it was clear it would be a back-and-forth battle in the Missouri sun. Midfielder and captain Jess Fishlock found a shot from distance in the 12th minute, yet again sending a warning sign to the Current but not quite finding the back of the net. 

Kansas City had a threatening chance of their own in the 19th minute, when forward Temwa Chawinga was one on one with Reign goalkeeper Laurel Ivory, but Ivory came off her line to shut down the play and collect the ball on a big touch from Chawinga. 

The 22nd minute of the match brought yet another chance for the Reign to take the lead, as forward Tziarra King took a shot on target, but Kansas City goalkeeper AD Franch got just enough on the ball, sending it off the crossbar instead of into the back of the net. 

In the 24th minute of the match, the Reign finally found the goal that they had been searching for. Latsko served a ball to the top of the six-yard box from the right side of the field, finding the foot of Huitema, who surged beyond the Current’s backline to touch the ball into the back of the net. 

Just four minutes later, Kansas City leveled the score when forward Michelle Cooper and Chawinga outpaced the Reign to get the home side on the scoreboard. 

In the 41st minute, the Reign scored again, retaking the lead. The play started with a free kick taken by Huerta, played short to the feet of Fishlock. Fishlock’s service was a rocket into the box, bouncing around before Huitema’s head directed it into the back of the net. 

In stoppage time of the first half, Kansas City equalized again. On a corner kick, defender Lauren got the final touch on a loose ball and directed it past Ivory in goal. 

After halftime, the Reign conceded two back-to-back goals in the 46th and 47th minutes, from substitute Vanessa DiBernardo and Chawinga. To cap off the scoring for the evening, Current midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta converted a penalty kick in the 67th minute and secured all three points for the Current in the 5-2 match. 

KEY TAKEWAYS: 

• JORDYN HUITEMA: Forward Jordyn Huitema made her first start since Week 3 and recorded a brace in the first half, with goals coming in the 24th and 41st minute to earn her first two goals of the season. 

• Huitema now has nine regular season goals in her career, the eighth-most goals in club history. Today’s brace marks Huitema’s first of her NWSL career. At 23, she is also the youngest player to score multiple goals in a game for Seattle. 

• OLIVIA VAN DER JAGT: Midfielder Olivia Van der Jagt became the 20th player to reach 50 regular season appearances for the Reign. She has appeared in 50 of a possible 56 games since entering the league in 2022, the third-most appearances for the club in that span – Lauren Barnes (53), Bethany Balcer (52) and Olivia Van der Jagt (50). 

UP NEXT: The Reign are back home at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington on Sunday, June 16 to take on Portland Thorns FC at 1:00 p.m. PT. Tickets to the Cascadia rivalry match, which doubles as the club’s annual Juneteenth Match, are available now! 

MATCH SUMMARY  

2024 NWSL Regular Season 

Seattle Reign FC 2 – 5 Kansas City Current 

Date/Time: Sunday, June 9, 3:00 p.m. PT  

Location: CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri 

Weather: 82, sunny 

Scoring Summary  

SEA: Huitema – 25', 41’ 

KC: Chawinga – 28', 47’, Lauren – 45+2’, DiBernardo – 46', LaBonta (P) – 67' 

Discipline   

SEA: Ivory – 66' 

KC: None 

Lineups  

SEA: GK Ivory, D Huerta, D Holmes, D Cook (Brown 75’), D McClernon (Barnes 57’), M Fishlock (c), M James-Turner (Van der Jagt 56’), F King (Adames 79’), F Latsko, F Balcer (Ji 56’), F Huitema 

Unused substitutes: GK Perez, M Athens, D Woodham, M Mercado 

Total Shots: 13 (Huitema – 4)  

Shots on Goal: 7 (Huitema – 3)  

Fouls: 6 (Six tied with – 1)  

Offsides: 0 

Corner Kicks: 5 

Saves: 2 (Ivory – 2)  

KC: GK Franch, D Rodriguez, D Ball, D Lauren (Ballisager 73’), D Mace (Wheeler 77’), M LaBonta (c) (Scott 88’), M Hutton, M Lavogez (DiBernardo 46’), F Zaneratto (Debinha 46’), F Chawinga, F Cooper 

Unused substitutes: M Feist, GK Silkowitz, F Pfeiffer, F Spaanstra 

Total Shots: 12 (Chawinga – 3)  

Shots on Goal: 7 (Chawinga – 3) 

Fouls: 11 (Chawinga, LaBonta – 3)  

Offsides: 1 

Corner Kicks: 6 

Saves: 5 (Franch– 5)   

Referee: Brad Jensen 

Assistant Referee 1: Tiffini Turpin 

Assistant Referee 2: Seth Barton 

4th Official: Drew Klemp 

VAR: Shawn Tehini 

AVAR: Kaili Terry