Debinha nets first goal for KC Current in loss to Chicago Red Stars: recap

The Kansas City Current got healthier over their week off, getting back Vanessa DiBernardo and Debinha for Saturday’s matchup at Chicago. But it was the Chicago Red Stars who came away with the spoils on Saturday, winning 4-2.

Debinha scored her first goal for the Current, and Mimmi Larsson notched a goal and assist to round out the scoring for KC.

The Current had the majority of the ball, and the possession, in the attacking spaces on the night, but they didn’t do enough with it early. Chicago was quick to capitalize.

“I felt like our spaces got a little bit too big,” coach Matt Potter said. “The distances to recover the ball got too big, and then obviously when people got into dangerous places, one (on) one, we finished on the wrong side of that on the night.”

The Red Stars scored inside the first five minutes of the match, when Ella Stevens cleaned up a loose ball with a clinical counterattack. The Current earned more chances than Chicago over the rest of the first half but never finished those chances off.

The Red Stars opened up the half smashing the Current on the counterattack, putting the game out of reach before the Current could even respond.

Penelope Hocking scored the Red Stars’ second and fourth goals in a similar fashion — as a switched ball into the space behind KC defender Kate Del Fava saw Hocking left alone in a one-on-one setting with Current goalkeeper Adrianna Franch.

The Red Stars’ third goal was a bit of bad luck for the Current. A shot from Cheyna Lee Matthews ricocheted off the post and then off the back of Franch’s head after she dove; the ball then rolled into the net.

Debinha scored her first goal of the 2022 season thanks to a nifty pass from Larsson. The Brazilian took the ball down and chipped it calmly over the head of Alyssa Naeher. Larsson added the Current’s second after a loose ball fell to her in the box, allowing her to put it home.

“I’m happy to help my team get a goal and assist, but of course very disappointed with the result,” Larsson said. “So I’m happy, but I feel more disappointed at the moment.”

As mentioned, Saturday also had special meaning to DiBernardo, who spent much of her career before this year in Chicago.

“It felt good to be out there with the team and get my first appearance with Kansas City, obviously in a place that I’m very familiar with,” DiBernardo said. “So it was kind of past and present coming together.”

The Current are now 0-3-0 and have a minus-6 goal differential after three matches. The Current kick off Challenge Cup play on Wednesday as they travel to face the Houston Dash, with kickoff set for 6:30 pm Central.