The WNY Flash are running out of time to make a playoff run. (Photo Copyright Erica McCaulley for The Equalizer)
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Western New York Flash and FC Kansas City both came out on the pitch strong Friday night at Sahlen’s Stadium, but it wasn’t enough for either team to leave with 3 points as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
In the 9th minute, Sarah Hagen sent a through ball to Erika Tymrak who was wide open at the top of the box and took a shot, but it sailed just wide of the left post.
Hagen put Kansas City on the board in the 17th minute when she received a beautiful ball in from Lauren Holiday. She caught Kelsey Wys off her line and easily chipped the ball into the back of the net.
The Flash equalized in the 22nd minute off of a solid sequence starting from the defense. Flash defender Haley Palmer sent a ball in to Carli Lloyd, who then headed the ball forward to Sam Kerr who was waiting in the box and headed the ball into the right corner of the net past Nicole Barnhart. Palmer started in place of Katherine Reynolds, who missed Friday’s match due to a red card she received during the match against the Washington Spirit on July 12th.
Amy Rodriguez was hungry for a goal as she tallied four shots — two on goal — in the first half. In the 24th minute, Rodriguez got on the end of a Holiday free kick, but her shot was deflected off the left post. Wys came up big in the 44th minute, denying Rodriguez with the go-ahead goal the 44th minute when Rodriguez tried to send in a header off of a beautiful cross from Leigh Ann Robinson.
Lloyd looked to put the Flash on top in the 36th minute when she drilled a beautiful free kick directly on goal, but Barnhart made a huge save by jumping to knock the ball over the top of the net..
Kerr was a force to be reckoned with as she was very active up front throughout the entire match. Barnhart came up big in the 66th minute, denying Kerr of her second goal of the night. Kerr set up outside of the box and drilled a shot toward the upper post, but Barnhart was there to knock the ball over.
Sonia Bermudez, who subbed in for Jasmyne Spencer, nearly netted a goal with a header in the 77th minute, but her shot went just wide of the net.
Rodriguez had a golden opportunity in the 84th minute, but was unable to capitalize. Jen Buczkowski sent in a beautiful through ball as Rodriguez made a breakaway run and took a shot, but it didn’t have enough power behind it and rolled directly into the arms of Wys.
With the tie, the Flash (7-9-3, 24 pts.) remain in sixth place, outside of a playoff spot. Kansas City (10-5-4, 34 pts.) remains in second place, missing an opportunity to further pull away from the pack.
GOALS
1 – 17’ FC Kansas City: Sarah Hagen (Lauren Holiday)
1 – 22’ WNY Flash: Sam Kerr (Carli Lloyd)
STARTING LINEUPS
WNY Flash: Wys; Williamson, Taylor, Palmer, Edmonds; Lloyd, Losada (45’ Adriana), Salem(59’ Barczuk), Zerboni; Spencer (74’ Bermudez), Kerr.
FC Kansas City: Barnhart; Kallman, Phillips, Robinson, Sauerbrunn; Buczkowski, Holiday, Richmond (71’ LePeilbet), Tymrak (76’ Silva); Hagen (84’ Mathias), Rodriguez
