This Sunday, May 7, at 5:00 p.m., Angel City hosts the Kansas City Current for the first time in 2023. The game will be broadcast locally on Bally SoCal, and stream live in the US on Paramount+ and internationally at NWSLSoccer.com. English- and Spanish-language radio broadcasts will be available at iHeart and KWKW, respectively. For more information on broadcasts, click here.
You can buy tickets to the game here.
Matchup
Angel City have played Kansas City twice, earning a 1–0 win at home and a 1–1 draw on the road last season.
Kansas City are currently in sixth place in the league with a 2–3–0 (W–L–D) record. Their most recent result was a 2–0 home win against Gotham, courtesy of a brace by midfielder Debinha.
Angel City are in ninth place with a 1–2–2 record. Their last league game was a dramatic 3–3 draw against the Portland Thorns on the road. Forward Alyssa Thompson opened the scoring before the Thorns equalized and then went up 2–1. An own goal by Portland defender Natalia Kuikka and a set piece goal by midfielder Julie Ertz had the visitors up 3–2 until the last minute of stoppage time, when Thorns keeper Bella Bixby improbably equalized on a corner kick.
ACFC also drew OL Reign 0–0 midweek in the Challenge Cup.
Scouting Report
Kansas City were the runners-up last year, ending the season in fifth place and beating Houston and Seattle to advance to the championship against Portland.
Despite that strong finish, the Current had a difficult start to 2023, losing their first three. After a 4–2 loss to Chicago on April 15, the Current parted ways with Head Coach Matt Potter, and their fortunes have turned, with the team earning two consecutive 2–0 wins, against Orlando and Gotham.
Key to the Current's recent success has been Brazilian international Debinha, an NWSL veteran who brought her talents to KC this season after five seasons with the Courage. Debinha, the Current's leading scorer with four goals on the season, is one of the league's most dangerous players.
'Debinha is one of those standout players who changes the game when she's on the field,' said forward Katie Johnson at training this week. 'Overall, being aware of where she is on the field is going to be really important for us.”
'She can't be allowed to claim space,' added Head Coach Freya Coombe. 'When she gets going, she's so good. It's about denying her the opportunity to find her rhythm. She definitely needs to be trapped after her possession, because after she has possession, she sprints into space.'
In the midfield, the club also added longtime Chicago midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo, who brings a strong veteran presence in the center of the field. In addition to the players themselves, Coombe highlights a less tangible factor: 'They've had an extra year of playing together and establishing relationships,' she said, 'which makes a big difference as well.'
Building Steam
Including the Wednesday Challenge Cup game, Angel City have earned two draws on the road in the last week, against two of the top teams in the league. Although the last-minute nature of the 3–3 draw in Portland was difficult, a point on the road at one of the most difficult places to play in the NWSL is a great result—and the team's quality continues to improve.
In Portland, the team took nearly as many shots as the reigning champions did—14 compared with Portland's 15. They also maintained an organized defense that mostly denied the Thorns space in the center of the park.
'We've played our best football of this season' on this road trip, said Coombe. 'We have used the time together on the road to create greater bonds with each other. It was a great time to integrate Julie [Ertz] into the group with her being so new. It gave us more time to go through who we are, how we want to be and how we want to play.'
The group has also found learning opportunities in the moments where they did slip up in those two games. 'It was a good time for us to come together and figure out little details that can help us move forward,' said forward Katie Johnson. 'That was really important for us and we took a lot of time off the field to do meetings and spend time together, while talking individually on how we can improve. Those little details will help us hopefully this weekend.”
