Cary, North Carolina – The Kansas City Current overcame a one-goal deficit three times before a late winner from substitute Claire Lavogez helped the side claim all three points as they defeated the North Carolina Courage, 4-3. The victory helps Kansas City extend its unbeaten run to 10 games on the bounce.
The action kicked off early with both sides coming out swinging, the hosts in particular who had multiple rushes toward goal in the opening minutes. In the 17th minute, the Courage capitalized on their momentum and scored the game’s first goal as forward Diana Ordoñez helped bundle it over the line. A wicked counterattack saw North Carolina surge up the field with the ball played forward to attacker Kerolin in the penalty area on the left side. The Brazilian then lifted the ball to the back post for Ordoñez, who headed it just over the line despite a last second attempt at a goalline clearance. The goal is Ordoñez’s eighth of the year, a record for the rookie in NWSL regular season history.
However, the Current did push back strongly as they equalized just three minutes later via forward Kristen Hamilton. Marching down the other side of the field, Kansas City had a corner kick that bounced around as the Courage failed to clear it which landed at the feet of Hamilton. Lashing it home at the first time asking, she brought her side level and helped put a fast reset button on the scoreline.
The back-and-forth energy would continue with North Carolina scoring the game’s third and their second goal in the 36th minute, with Kerolin again involved as she provided a ball on a platter for midfielder Debinha. Again on the counter attack, Kerolin was played forward into the penalty area on the left side. Spotting the run of teammate Debinha to her right, she rolled the ball between a pair of defenders and Current goalkeeper Adrianna Franch where the midfielder was able to smash the ball home from close range.
Nearing the end of the first half though, the Current would provide that extra little bit of spice as midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta brought her side level once more one minute before the end of first half regulation. A well-worked team move saw Kansas City shift the ball into the penalty area, where LaBonta was waiting to swing hard with her right foot and into the back of the net.
At the halftime whistle, the teams were knotted up at two a piece in the midst of an extremely exciting affair.
Into the second half, it was the hosts who would go ahead again in the 56th minute as the Courage scored a third goal for the third consecutive game. This time, the ball bounced around the penalty area and landed at the feet of midfielder Brianna Pinto. Though Pinto was unable to convert from close range, she laid it off to defender Kaleigh Kurtz who buried the chance and lifted the Courage once again.
The Current showed their ability to fight back though as attacker CeCe Kizer equalized for the visitors just four minutes later. Right on the hour mark, another good team move by Kansas City saw the ball come to substitute Claire Lavogez. Lavogez broke into the box and a deflected shot in the area saw the ball roll to the feet of the trailing Kizer, who guided it into the back of the net to bring her side level once more.
Still pressing on the North Carolina goal, the Current would then find the match winning goal in the 79th minute as Lavogez turned from provider to scorer, putting her name in the hat for strike of the season with a venomous effort late on. Moving up the center of the field via a slithering solo run, Lavogez then pulled up from nearly 25 yards out and placed a bomb of a shot directly over the head of Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy to put her side back in front.
In the end, Kansas City’s comeback saw them overcome a one-goal deficit three times before Lavogez’s winner helped them to collect all three points. The result helps the Current push their current unbeaten run to 10 games, while North Carolina remains winless since June 11 and has conceded three or more goals in each of their last three games.
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August 14, 2022 at 09:58AM
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Lavogez helps Kansas City seal comeback victory against North Carolina - WRALSportsFan
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