Top-Seeded Kansas City Current Hosts North Carolina Courage in 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup Semifinals

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Kansas City Current

Top-Seeded Kansas City Current Hosts North Carolina Courage in 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup Semifinals

August 5, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Kansas City Current News Release


KANSAS CITY - The Kansas City Current (3-0-0, 9pts, 1st Place Group C) hosts the North Carolina Courage (1-0-2, 7pts, 1st place Group E) in the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup Semifinals Tuesday, August 6 at 8 p.m. CT. The match is the second of a semifinal doubleheader held at CPKC Stadium Tuesday night, with NJ/NY Gotham FC (2-0-1, 8pts, 1st place Group D) playing Angel City FC (2-0-1, 8pts, 1st place Group B) at 4 p.m. CT. Both semifinals will broadcast on CBS Sports Network. Kansas City fans can listen to Dave Borchardt and Jillian Carroll Letrinko call the Current's match live on 90.9 The Bridge or on the KC Current App in English and Spanish.

The Current earned the club's spot in the knockout round by barreling through the competition in Group C. Kansas City scored an average of 3.34 goals per game, while only allowing two through the whole tournament. After opening the tournament against the Houston Dash with a 3-1 win, the Current earned 3-0 and 4-1 wins over Liga MX Femenil sides CF Pachuca and Tigres UANL.

Midfielder Debinha leads the team and is second in the tournament with three goals in the Summer Cup. Forward Kristen Hamilton and team captain Lo'eau LaBonta are tied with two goals each. Rookie midfielder Claire Hutton became the 18th different player to score for Kansas City across all competitions in 2024. Against Tigres, the 18-year-old received a throw-in from defender Izzy Rodriguez with a smooth touch to turn her towards goal. A quick hit found its way over the defenders and out of full reach of the opposing goalkeeper to the far corner of the net.

North Carolina comes to the semifinals by one point over Group E rival, Racing Louisville. Facing NWSL competition, the Courage won in penalties against Louisville and the Orlando Pride before handily defeating Liga MX Femenil's Monterrey Rayadas 3-0. Five different players each scored a goal for North Carolina in the group stage, while the stingy defense only conceded twice in three games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kansas City Current midfielder Claire Hutton -The rookie has already played in every regular season game, starting all but one. She is one of the team leaders in minutes played, tackles and passing accuracy. Despite missing some time early in July while with the U.S. U20 National Team, Hutton has played in every match in the tournament so far and against Tigres she scored her first professional goal.

North Carolina Courage forward Haley Hopkins - Hopkins was the 11th overall selection in the 2023 NWSL Draft and has lived up to the hype of a first-round pick for the Courage. She leads the team in the Summer Cup with a goal and an assist, adding to the two goals she already has in the regular season.

CPKC STADIUM WELCOMES THE WORLD

CPKC Stadium, the world's first stadium purpose-built for women's professional soccer, is quicky becoming a destination venue for the best women's soccer in the world. In addition to hosting Liga MX Femenil teams over the past two weeks, the stadium is the exclusive home of the Summer Cup semifinals with NJ/NY Gotham FC facing off against Angel City FC at 4 p.m. CT before Kansas City and North Carolina take the field.

Additionally, The Women's Cup makes its first visit to Kansas City, bringing teams from Spain, South Africa and Japan to the Soccer Capital. The Current open the tournament August 14 vs South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns while Spain's Atletico Madrid plays INAC Kobe from Japan. The winners of those two matches will then face off August 17.

Topping off the season, the NWSL announced recently that the 2024 NWSL Championship will also be held at CPKC Stadium, marking the game's first appearance in Kansas City. The eyes of women's soccer fans across the globe will be watching as CPKC Stadium shines in the biggest game of the year.

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