The NWSL season has come down to the final week. One Wednesday night match gets us started.
Wednesday
FC Kansas City (8-6-5) at Sky Blue FC (5-7-7)
7:00 pm EDT, Yurcak Field
Watch: Youtube
Series: Kansas City lead, 3-2-2
Points of Interest: FC Kansas City are in. Sky Blue are out. FC Kansas City needs at least a draw if they are to avoid a trip to Seattle for the semifinals, but even if they get a result it will depend on how the Spirit fair on Saturday. The Blues are unbeaten in four games, during which time they have not conceded a goal. With the semis 11 days in the offing and the final 18 days after that the goal will be to stay sharp heading into the playoffs. Injuries will be a challenge to that. Erika Tymrak will not play due to an ankle sprain, and Becky Sauerbrunn (hamstring strain) and Mandy Laddish (MCL sprain) are both listed as probable. Shea Groom has been a card away from a suspension, but will not be suspended for the playoffs if she gets her fifth in this one. (Any red cards received in the last regular season game do carry over into the playoffs.) Sky Blue won in Kansas City to open the season but followed it up with an 0-6-4 stretch they were unable to recover from.