History Takes Place as Sky Blue FC Welcomes FC Kansas City to Yurcak Field
Sky Blue FC (6-6-1, 19 points) will return to National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) action on Saturday, hosting two-time league champion FC Kansas City (3-5-4, 13 points) for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J. History will take place at the match, as Sky Blue FC becomes the first team to play its 100th regular season NWSL game. Additionally, Sky Blue FC will become the first club to ever hit the centennial mark in a single professional women’s soccer league in United States history.
“Tomorrow is a great opportunity for us to build upon a fantastic performance in North Carolina,” said Christy Holly, Sky Blue FC head coach. “We know we must be at the top of our game against FC Kansas City in order to get a positive outcome. The historical implications also serve as further motivation for us. As one of the founding clubs of the NWSL, we are exceptionally honored and excited to play in a game that is such a milestone for professional women’s soccer in the United States.”
To this point in the 2017 NWSL season, Sky Blue FC is the only team that has played a pair of three-game weeks and a total of 13 matches. Saturday night marks its 14th overall contest of the year, which is one more than any other club in the league. Therefore, Sky Blue FC will remain the only team sitting on 100 total regular season NWSL games after the weekend.
Opposite Sky Blue FC on Saturday night will be two-time NWSL champion FC Kansas City, a team that has historically given them issues at Yurcak Field. When the two clubs met on April 30 earlier this season, Sky Blue FC defeated FC Kansas City on an 82nd minute game-winner from Mandy Freeman to Raquel Rodriguez. Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan recorded the shutout in net, with the 1-0 final giving Sky Blue FC its first-ever home win over FC Kansas City.
The theme for Sky Blue FC this week has been recovery after playing three matches in less than seven days over the preceding week. The arduous stretch was capped off last Saturday in the NWSL on Lifetime Game of the Week, as the New Jersey outfit went into North Carolina and defeated the first-place Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park, 1-0. Sheridan registered her second clean slate of the season in the contest, while a dramatic game-winner came in the 84th minute. On that scoring sequence, Leah Galton danced through two North Carolina defenders on the left flank before crossing a feed from the end line. On the near post was Maya Hayes, who flicked the ball onto Sam Kerr on the far post, and the Australia international one-timed it into the back of the net.
Kerr has been on a remarkable run this season, twice winning NWSL Player of the Month (May, June), once winning Player of the Week, breaking Sky Blue FC’s all-time goal scoring record (17), winning Goal of the Week on a bicycle kick goal that was featured on ESPN SportsCenter, and she now sits a single goal behind Jess McDonald’s all-time NWSL record of 33.
FC Kansas City arrives at New Jersey on the heels of a 2-1 loss to the Houston Dash last weekend, and the team is winless in its last five contests (0-3-2).
Individual tickets for Saturday’s historical match are available now online or by calling 888-SBFC-TIX (888-723-2849). For all of the latest news on Sky Blue FC, visit the team online and follow us on social media: @SkyBlueFC
