**KANSAS CITY, Ks.** – The Kansas City Current defeated the Houston Dash, 3-1, at home on Saturday night, with forward Kristen Hamilton scoring a brace in first half stoppage time before completing her hat trick in the second half to propel her side. After Houston took an early lead through Madelyn Desiano, the Current produced three unanswered goals to remain in 1 ^st place in the Central Division.
The Current were off on the run early and created the first opportunity in front of goal after just 13 minutes. Forward Michelle Cooper was sent sprinting down the right side of the field chasing a through ball, and as she caught up with the pass, she surveyed the box and put a ball into the mixer. Running onto it from there was forward Cece Kizer, who did well to test Houston goalkeeper Emily Alvarado, but it was a great save from the goalkeeper who was temporarily out of position but was able to keep things scoreless with a good stop.
Five minutes later, Houston then actually took the lead through Madelyn Desiano, who was making her first professional start and found the back of the net after a Maria Sánchez pass. Up toward the top of the Kansas City penalty area but given space, Desiano was roaming as she trapped a powerful pass from Sánchez near the top of the box and unleashed a curling drive from that position that raced toward Current goalkeeper Adrianna Franch’s net. Franch dove to try and keep the ball out, but Desiano’s strike was too precise and just as quickly as they nearly gave up the lead the Dash then took it in the 17 ^th minute.
Gearing up for a second, Houston defender Caprice Dydasco caused problems for Franch in goal as she lifted a cross that turned shot in the 31 ^st minute. Dydasco was on the ball near the right side of the box when pressure on the ball forced her to make a decision. Opting then to lift the ball toward the back post, Dydasco did enough to make Franch shoot up and punch the ball over the crossbar to prevent a cheeky second goal for the visitors.
However, entering five minutes of stoppage time, Kansas City got their first goal of the night as Cooper linked up with forward Kristen Hamilton to pull the hosts level again. Another through ball down the right side sent Cooper forward, and she was able to catch up with it just before it reached the endline. Firing a cross into the box, the ball initially skipped by Kansas City’s Jenna Winebrenner and found its way to Hamilton near the top of the box just left of the center of goal. From there, Hamilton drove a low effort past Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell, who came on after 30 minutes, and into the back of the net for her team’s first goal.
Three minutes later and still in first half stoppage time, Hamilton then notched a brace before the halftime whistle sounded as Winebrenner was credited for a second assist after playing Hamilton in on goal. The forward Hamilton had gotten into space just to the right of the center of the box, and though Campbell did what she could to close the attacker down, Hamilton calmly poked her effort past the Houston goalkeeper and in the blink of an eye the Current went from trailing to leading as the halftime interval came.
Into the second half, Cooper was first to test the Houston goal and nearly found her first of the night if not for a late offside flag that ended the move. Cooper found herself just in front of the Dash goal facing Campbell just a few yards out, and she was eventually able to get a rebounded effort past the goalkeeper and trickling toward the goalline. Though Campbell recovered in time to prevent the whole of the ball from crossing the line, the flag went up for offside anyway and the threat was neutralized.
However, the Current would not be deterred from a third goal as Cooper again picked out her teammate Hamilton with a cross before the forward produced an unstoppable drive with her right foot. Cooper had to collect the ball near the endline and fire in an off balanced cross from her position. The ball made its way to the goalscorer Hamilton near the top of the penalty area, and she got everything behind her effort to beat Campbell for a third time on the night and complete her hat-trick.
Houston would not go quietly, though, with forward Ebony Salmon rattling the crossbar with a powerful effort in the 70 ^th minute as the visitors attempted to pull closer. Salmon was in a 1-on-1 with her marking defender when she decided to pop a strong right-footed effort over Franch’s head. However, the strike would sail off the underside of the crossbar and back into play before eventually being cleared by the Kansas City defense as the move ended.
In the end, however, Kansas City’s established lead was enough for them to see things through as a late push for a second goal from Houston failed and the Current earned a big Challenge Cup win. The result helps Kansas City solidify their place in 2 ^nd in the Central Division, while Houston remains in 3 ^rd place with one win and three losses.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights