Reign FC host Kansas City on Friday night in Seattle

Seattle Reign FC 1
Kansas City Current 0
May 2, 2025
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season

Top of the table Kansas City Current visited Seattle on Friday evening to face the resurgent Reign FC.

Kansas City came into the match after dropping their first points of the season last week. Still top of the table, Kansas City presents a series of issues for opposing defenses while solidly defending and being stingy on defense.

The Reign are a mix of youth and solid veterans with international experience. Early results of the 2025 mix have been good for Laura Harvey. Rookie Maddie Dahlien and other youngsters like midfielder Sam Meza have played like veterans in recent weeks, blending in with the veterans to return hope to Reign faithful after a brutal 2024 campaign.

The hosts had much of the early play, but the Current were able to fend off attacks. The Kansas City defense steadily handled the Seattle attempts down either flanks, forcing Reign attackers to cut back and switch with limited lanes to play through.

The opening goal would come in the 37th minute. Lu Barnes would send a long far post cross in on a corner kick that striker Jordyn Huitema would be able to redirect back to midbox. Lynn Biyendolo would manage a control touch and volley in from the six. For a Reign side that had been struggling to find the net at times, grabbing a first half goal was a fitting reward for their patience.

Seattle Reign FC vs Kansas City Current FC

The match would remain a single goal affair into the second half. Eventually, Kansas City would bring on Temwa Chawinga in the 61st minute, who had been listed as questionable on the availability report and not started.

Adding Chawinga to the attack added a spark to the Current attack. Within minutes there was a long run into the Seattle box that led to a Debinha shot that grazed the cross bar.

Seattle Reign FC vs Kansas City Current FC

The long history of Laura Harvey versus Vlatko Andonovski came into play as the match moved into the late stages. The Current used up all five of their allotted subs by the 76th minute, while Harvey and the Reign were still with a goal lead and their starting eleven. The coaching chess match was on.

Kansas City through it all forward in the late going and stoppage time, testing the Seattle defense a number of times. The Reign would hold on for a one goal victory, three important points, and more evidence 2024 is behind them.

Kansas City drops a tough one on the road, but their status as a top of the table team will always be tested in the hyper competitive NWSL.

BOX

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Lynn Biyendolo (Jordyn Huitema) 37’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

SEA – Lauren Barnes (caution) 57’
KC – Lo’eau LaBonta (caution) 69’
SEA – Ji So-Yun (caution) 70’

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Reign FC – Claudia Dickey; Lauren Barnes © (Emily Mason 90+4’), Phoebe McClernon, Jordyn Bugg; Angharad James-Turner (Ainsley McCammon 79’), Sam Meza, Ji So-Yun (Shae Holmes 84’); Lynn Biyendolo, Ana-Maria Crnogorčević (Madison Curry 79’), Maddie Dahlien (Maddie Mercado 90+4’), Jordyn Huitema
Substitutes not used: Cassie Miller, Hanna Glas, Olivia Van der Jagt, Emeri Adames

Total shots: 4
Shots on goal: 2
Fouls: 9
Offside: 0
Corner-Kicks: 5
Saves: 3

Kansas City Current – Lorena; Hailie Mace, Alana Cook, Kayla Sharples, Flora Marta Lacho (Izzy Rodríguez 61’); Lo’eau LaBonta, Claire Hutton (Rocky Rodriguez 75’), Vanessa DiBernardo (Temwa Chawinga 61’), Debinha; Bia Zaneratto (Mary Long 75’), Haley Hopkins (Ellie Wheeler 75’)
Substitutes not used: Laurel Ivory, Elizabeth Ball, Bayley Feist, Katie Scott

Total shots: 13
Shots on goal: 3
Fouls: 14
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 3
Saves: 1

Referees: Calin Radosav
Assistants: Bennett Savage, Rachel Smith
Fourth Official: Christopher Calderon
VAR: Jamie Padilla
Attendance: 5,912
Weather: 60 degrees and sunny