FCKC and NWSL to Kick Off Tomorrow

FC Kansas City and the National Women's Soccer League begin the next chapter of women's soccer in the US tomorrow when the Blues host the Portland Thorns at Shawnee Mission North High School.  The season opener tomorrow night will pit two of the league's preseason favorites.  Portland has arguably the best attack in the league, with both Alex Morgan and Christine Sinclair being allocated to the Thorns in the original player allocation.  Meanwhile, the Blues have built an extremely solid middle through allocations and player signings, and have arguably had the best drafts of any of the teams in the league. While Portland may have gotten the best allocation, FC Kansas City was the winner of the offseason with their drafts and free agent signings.

Winning the offseason or having the best allocation though means little if neither team can get it done on the field, and that begins tomorrow.  The Blues become the second women's professional team to play a game in Kansas City, some 11 years after the Kansas City Mystics played at the Blue Valley District Athletic Complex.

It's somewhat poetic that 17 years to the day after the then Kansas City Wiz played their first game of the then new MLS, FC Kansas City will play their first game of the new NWSL on the same date.  On that night back in 1996, the Wiz won 3-0 thanks to two goals from Digital Takawira. Hopefully tomorrow is successful for the Blues not just the one night, but as a step towards a successful and stable league for years to come in KC.