KC Current – Sports Radio Service

Kansas City Current goalkeeper Almuth Schult (1) grabs the ball as Bay FC forward Rachel Hill (21) drops to the ground during a goal attempt during the second half of their match at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Oct. 12, 2024. Kansas City Current defeated Bay FC 1-0. (photo by Jose Carlos Fajardo)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC hosted the Kansas City Current in a game that will be crucial to their playoff fight. Kansas City’s lineup had a name that will be very familiar for Bay FC fans, as Kayla Sharples returned to PayPal Park for the first time since being traded. The NWSL’s most dangerous goal-scorer, Temwa Chawinga was also in the building and she was undoubtedly going to make it a difficult night for Bay.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, Malonson, Menges, Dahlkemper, Dydasco, Pickett, Bailey, Hill, Castellanos, Hocking, Oshoala Current Starting XI: Schult, Wheeler, Sharples, Cook, Mace, Hutton, Labonta, Chawinga, Debinha, Cooper, Prince

Sharples came up big for Kansas City in the opening minutes, preventing the Bay FC attack from creating strong scoring chances. Deyna Castellanos had a corner kick in the fifth minute that would’ve easily ended up in the back of the net if anyone was able to get a foot on it, but a Kansas City defender deflected it for another corner. On the following corner, Bay FC once again got a strong chance off of the set piece but none other than Sharples would make a goal-line clear to keep it scoreless.

After some strong scoring chances at both ends, the game was still tied 0-0 at the half-hour mark. Penelope Hocking was shown a yellow card in the 34th minute. Moments later, Chawinga broke the tie making it 1-0 in favor of the visitors with a cannon of a shot from outside of the box.

Chawinga’s 19th of the season became the new NWSL record for goals in a single season, breaking the previous record which belonged to Sam Kerr. Asisat Oshoala was then shown a yellow card in the 36th minute. In the 42nd minute, Hailie Mace was shown a yellow card.

Eventually, it was reviewed for a potential red card, as it could be considered the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity. For the second time of the night though, the review didn’t go Bay FC’s way. Earlier in the game, there had been a review for a potential handball inside of the box. At the end of the half, Kansas City led 1-0.

The second half had quite a bit of back-and-forth action. Early in the half, there was another play that Bay FC thought was a handball inside of the box, but this time the video assistant referee didn’t call for a review by referee Danielle Chesky.

The first substitutions of the match, which included Savy King entering for Castellanos, came in the 71st minute while there was a delay for Bay FC goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland. In the 87th minute, Caroline Conti would enter the match for Dorian Bailey.

The second half was much less eventful than the first, as both teams were struggling to generate consistent offensive chances. Eventually, Bay FC ran out of time and were unable to get themselves on the scoresheet as Kansas City recorded a 1-0, shutout victory over the hosting side.

With Racing Louisville closely trailing them in the standings, Bay FC couldn’t afford to drop points against the Current but unfortunately, they walked away with nothing. With only two games remaining for Bay, the end of their season will be an intense push for the playoffs.

Moving forward, every point is massively significant as they’re going to need to win out if they’re going to make it. More so, it’s not entirely in their own hands either. If Louisville is able to defeat the Washington Spirit on Sunday, it will essentially put the fate of both teams’ season in their hands.

It was a rough evening of football for Bay FC who were outscored by the KC Current at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City on Sat Apr 20, 2024 (Bay FC X photo)

By William Espy

Bay FC is on the road this weekend, visiting the Kansas City Current at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Lysianne Proulx returned from injury for tonight’s matchup, however, Scarlett Camberos is still out of the lineup with a leg injury.

It was also a milestone night for Caprice Dydasco who was appearing in her 150th regular season match. Alex Loera won the NWSL’s goal of the week award for her goal against the Seattle Reign last week and had the captain’s armband to start tonight’s game. Kansas City is known for their high-powered offense, and Bay FC is near the middle of the table for goals conceded so they’d need a strong defensive effort to walk away with three points in this game.

Bay FC Starting XI: Proulx, King, Sharples, Menges, Dydasco, Loera (C), Bailey, Castellanos, Kundananji, Oshoala, Boade

Kansas City Current Starting XI: Franch, Mace, Wheeler, Chawinga, Ball, Zaneratto, Hutton, DiBernardo, Feist, Robinson, Spaanstra

Kansas City took the lead in just the second minute, a turnover from Emily Menges allowed Bia Zaneratto to get behind the defense and Proulx had no chance to make a save. It wouldn’t take long for them to extend their lead either.

Off of a corner kick, a cross from Alexa Spaanstra was headed in by Bayley Feist to give the Current a 2-0 lead. This marked Feist’s first goal with her new team, and only the second of her NWSL career. She previously scored one with the Washington Spirit in 2019.

Bay FC got on the board during the 17th minute as Kayla Sharples scored her second goal in as many games. Off of a corner kick, Deyna Castellanos crossed it in and Sharples was able to find the back of the net off of a header.

Sharples was called for a yellow card in the 23rd minute following a challenge. She missed the ball entirely and caught the ball carrier’s legs, leaving the official with no choice but to book Bay FC’s goal scorer.

Early in the first half momentum was on Kansas City’s side and they were undoubtedly the better team. Once Sharples scored though, things started to even out a bit. Proulx was getting tested, however not as regularly as she was in the first 20 minutes.

In the 28th minute, Loera made a challenge on Zaneratto and after come contact she went down with an apparent leg injury. Based on her reaction as she went down, it seems like it’s going to be a serious injury. As one of Bay’s most important players was down on the pitch, manager Albertin Montoya attempted to fire up the remainder of his team and get them back in the game.

Eventually, Loera was removed from the game, and Joelle Anderson came into the game in the 32nd minute as the delay ended. With Loera leaving the match, the captain’s armband was passed to Emily Menges. The final 15 minutes of the half were fairly even and Bay FC was unable to tie it up in the first 45 minutes. Kansas City would hold a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.

The second half started with a great scoring opportunity for Bay, however, a header from Asisat Oshoala went too high and it remained 2-1. In the 56th minute, Kansas City made it 3-1 when Temwa Chawinga received a breakout pass from Vanessa DiBernardo and toe-poked it past Proulx.

History repeated itself just a few minutes later, as a breakout pass from Dibernardo once again found Chawinga. Prolux was playing forward, and as a result there was no chance to make a save. Chawinga’s shot found an empty net, and Kansas City led 4-1. Immediately after the kickoff, the Current got the ball back and Proulx was out of her net once again, and needed to make a late save to keep it 4-1 for the time being.

In the 66th minute, Kansas City made a trio of substitutions as it seemed that they had the game won at that point. In the 67th, Bay FC countered with a couple of substitutions of their own. Princess came on for Castellanos, while Caroline Conti made her NWSL debut, taking Dorian Bailey’s spot.

In the 69th minute, Zaneratto got a quality scoring chance with Tess Boade attempting to come back and defend but the shot went just wide. In the 73rd minute, Zaneratto got her second of the night as well powering through the debuting Conti before firing it into the back of the net.

Shortly after the second goal though, she went down in some discomfort and was eventually substituted off for 16-year-old Alex Pfeiffer. Boade made it 5-2 after a fantastic solo effort, essentially walking through the entire defense in the 78th minute.

Savy King and Sharples came off for the debuting Maddie Moreau and Jordan Brewster in the 81st minute. In the 87th minute, Princess was shown a yellow card for a foul on Ellis Wheeler. Bay threw everything they had at Kansas City late in the game in an attempt to overcome the odds and claw their way back into the game, but they were unable to do so and the game ended with a final score of 5-2. After the game, Montoya was unable to give an update on Loera’s injury, stating that they were waiting for test results.