FC Kansas City forward Amy Rodriguez now leads the NWSL with six goals in six games. (Photo Courtesy FC Kansas City)
Amy Rodriguez scored twice for a league-leading six goals on the season as FC Kansas City defeated the Washington Spirit 2-1 on Sunday at Durwood Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
Rodriguez opened the scoring with a booming left-footed shot in the 35th minute that beat Spirit goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris in the top corner from 18 yards out.
Washington would equalize in the 63rd minute when Danesha Adams’ shot deflected off an FC Kansas City defender and dipped under the crossbar and just over the fingertips of an outstretched Nicole Barnhart.
[MORE: After year off to give birth, Rodriguez bursting back onto scene]
The lead, however, would last just 90 seconds. As Kansas City pushed forward, 2013 league MVP Lauren Holiday played a ball into the stride of an eager Rodriguez, who who hit a one-time, left-footed shot into the lower corner to give the Blues a 2-1 lead. Kansas City held on for the victory, which puts the Blues into third place and a a tie on 10 pts. with the second-place Western New York Flash, who beat Sky Blue FC 2-0 on Sunday.
FC Kansas City has a quick turnaround to travel to Seattle on Wednesday to face undefeated Reign FC (6-0-0, 18 pts.). Washington hosts the Flash on Saturday.
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Match: FC Kansas City vs. Washington Spirit
Date: May 11, 2014
Venue: Verizon Wireless Field at Durwood Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Kickoff: 6:00p.m. CT, 7:00p.m. ET
Attendance: 1,797
Weather: Mid 80s, partly cloudy
Cautions/Ejections
| Time | Team | ## | Player | Card | Reason |
| 50’ | WAS | 5 | Robyn Gayle | Yellow | Persistent Infringement |
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| Washington Spirit | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| FC Kansas City | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Team | Scorer (Assist) | Time |
| FCKC | Amy Rodriguez (Jen Buczkowski) | 36’ |
| WAS | Danesha Adams (Diana Matheson) | 63’ |
| FCKC | Rodriguez (Lauren Holiday) | 64’ |
Lineups:
FCKC: Barnhart; Robinson, Phillips, Sauerbrunn (C), Kallman (Williams 46’); Mathias, Buczkowski, Holiday, Richmond, Henderson (Silva 63’); Rodriguez
Subs not used: Keane, Tymrak
WAS: Harris, Pressley, Gayle, Nairn, Matheson, Krieger (C), Taylor, Perez (Lindsey 75’), Dunn (Averbuch 46’), Huster, Adams (Cuellar 67’)
Subs not used: Jones, Angeli, Sierra
