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Preview: FC Kansas City Aims for Three Points in Road Test against Second Place Chicago

July 31, 2015 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
FC Kansas City News Release


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (July 31, 2015) - The FC Kansas City Blues (5-6-3, 18 points) will play its second to last road game of the season when they visit the Chicago Red Stars (7-1-5, 26 points) at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday at Benedictine University. The match will be streamed live on YouTube and can also be followed via Twitter at @BluesGameday.

Kansas City is coming from a tough 3-2 loss at BBVA Compass Stadium on Wednesday night after midfielder Carli Lloyd scored the game-winning goal in the 87th minute handing FCKC their first ever loss against the Houston Dash. On the other hand, Chicago is coming from a hard fought 1-1 road draw against the Washington Spirit.

The Red Stars boast the fewest losses (1) and goals allowed (14) of any NWSL team after 15 weeks of the 2015 season. On the other hand, FC Kansas City goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart leads the league with four clean sheets.

FC Kansas City and the Chicago Red Stars have squared off a total of eight times throughout the first three NWSL seasons. Coach Rory Dames' team leads the All-time series 4-3-1. The last time the Blues visited Benedictine University, the Red Stars earned a 2-1 victory on August 9, 2014.

Earlier this year, Kansas City fell 2-1 to Chicago at Swope Soccer Village in a match that was delayed nearly two hours due to inclement weather on May 23. Rookie Sofia Huerta and defender Taryn Hemmings each notched a goal, while Amy LePeilbet scored her first tally of the season that night.

World Cup Champion Christen Press and Huerta lead the Red Stars with six goals each. In addition, both players were voted NWSL Player of the Month in April and May respectively. As for the Blues, Shea Groom leads the team with four goals and two assists; she was named Player of the Week after her two-assist and game-winning goal performance at Boston on July 9. Groom is still recovering from a right foot injury.

On the road, Coach Vlatko Andonovski has an overall record of 3-4-1. The team's three victories were at BBCA Compass Stadium (Houston), Sahlen's Stadium (Western NY) and Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium (Boston). Chicago has not lost a single game at home this year recording a record of 3-0-2.

Next up, FC Kansas City will play its first of four consecutive home games when they host the Western NY Flash on Saturday August 8 at 7 p.m. CT.

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