This weekend saw FC Kansas City welcome Seattle Reign FC as two of the league's most consistent teams over the years tried to find a way to kick start their seasons.
Both teams currently sit in the middle of the pack and have had trouble picking up all three points in matches. This match proved to be just the same situation as both teams only came away with a point today.
The first half resulted in a midfield battle
In the early goings on the macth Seattle clearly started the strongest. The first chance of the game fell to Kim Little in the third minute of the game after Beverly Yanez's headed down to an open Little at the top of the box but Nicole Barnhart was up to the task and tipped the shot wide. Seattle then had a flurry of corner-kicks during the first ten minutes but could not find a way to grab themselves a goal.
FC Kansas City's first real chance came when Heather O'Reilly played a ball over the top for a streaking Erica Tymrak but Tymrak's shot went high and over the bar to leave the match still at a stalemate.
After that, the match descended into a midfield team as both teams tried to gain control of posession there and try to craft some chances. Both defenses were steady and chances became far and few as the ball stayed predominantly in midfield in a very even half.
The next chance of the game fell to O'Reilly in the twenty-eighth minute. who found some space just outside of the box but her chipped effort went just wide. O'Reilly was once again involved in another opportunity to give Kansas City the lead in the thirty-sixth minute. Jess Fishlock had a bad touch in midfield and the ball fell to Shea Groom who realised she was in a two-on-one situation alongside O'Reilly. She passed of the ball to O'Reilly who went around an on-rushing Hope Solo but could only watch as her shot hit the side netting of an open goal. That would be the last clear chance of the half and both teams went into half time with not much to show for their efforts.
Second half brings much of the same
The second half did start brightly as Seattle's Merrit Mathias found herself through on the counter only to see her long-range effort saved by Barnhart once again.
From then on both teams had trouble creating clear cut chances and the chances did come fell to the feet of O'Reilly who was probably the player of the match. O' Reilly beat the offside trap set by the high line held by the Seattle defenders in the 62nd minute but her cross along the six-yard box found no one and rolled out of bounds. O'Relly was active once again in the 75th minute as she broke free again but her shot from a tight angle was smothered by Solo. The last real chance of the game fell to Groom who raced clear and tried to turn Solo but the Reign goalkeeper managed to force Groom wide before the FCKC forward placed the ball out of bounds.
There was some late drama in the game as Seattle's Carson Pickett picked up a straight red card for what seemed to be a high foot. The card did seem harsh as the Reign defender's foul should have seen a yellow at most.
This result leaves Seattle in seventh place, level on pints with Sky Blue FC but lower than them because of the head-to-head advantage whereas FC Kansas City remain in eighth place with ten points.