FC Kansas City Remain Unbeaten

FC Kansas City continued their unbeaten run to start their inaugural season in the NWSL with a 1-0 win over the Seattle Reign. The Blues made their first trip outside of Kansas City for a league game as they traveled to the Pacific Northwest.  KC came out and pressured from the start, similar to what we saw the last time these two teams met last week. The chances though didn't come as readily.  KC had one really good chance in the first half as Lauren Cheney worked through the middle of the field and picked out Renae Cuellar in the box, but Seattle keeper Michelle Betos made a couple of saves on the Mexican international. 

In the second half the two teams were pushing the game more, Seattle doing a lot more of the attacking as they tried to push the play.  Seattle created a few opportunities but Nicole Barnhart was up to the task, making a few saves. As Seattle pushed numbers forward it left them exposed defensively and in the 69th, KC exploited it marvelously. Three FCKC players forced a turn over in their defensive third by Seattle.  The ball was then played to Becky Sauerbrunn.  Sauerbrunn started the counter attack dribbling into space out of the back and playing the ball wide to Desiree Scott.  Scott dribbled the ball up field cutting into the middle. She then returned the ball to Sauerbrunn who had continued her run and overlapped Scott down the wing. Sauerbrunn then played the ball into the middle for Cheney.  Cheney looked up and then played the ball to Sauerbrunn who had made her way into the box.  Sauerbrunn squared to Cuellar who beat Betos to give KC the lead.  Just a beautiful piece of counterattacking soccer and a great example of why players should continue their runs.  Sauerbrunn continued hers and was rightly rewarded by both Scott and Cheney.  And it's not surprise that instead of players going over to Cuellar immediately after the goal all the players went over to Sauerbrunn.

KC was able to handle Seattle's attack the rest of the game, limiting the chances that Seattle really had as KC cruised to victory.

Blues Player of the Match - Becky Sauerbrunn - Sauerbrunn shut down Seattle's attack for most of the night and had a marvelous run to set up the winner by Cuellar.