Kansas City Current advances to Summer Cup semifinals with 4-1 victory over Tigres

The Kansas City Current advanced to the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup semifinals with a 4-1 victory over Tigres on Thursday night at CPKC Stadium.

With the win, the Current finished atop its group, earning nine of nine possible points. The club finished with a goal differential of plus-8, meaning unless Angel City wins its final group match by more than six goals, the Current will be the highest seed in the semifinals.

The semifinals will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at CPKC Stadium.

Lo LaBonta opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. A Tigres foul near the right-hand side of the box set up a free kick for the Current. As Vanessa DiBernardo whipped in a cross, Tigres goalkeeper Aurora Santiago tried to jump it, reading the ball going toward the middle of the box. But LaBonta jumped and headed the ball at the near post into an empty net.

Minutes later, Hailie Mace played a perfect pass into the box for DiBernardo, who again played an accurate cross to the back post. Ellie Wheeler was all alone for an easy header to double the Current’s lead.

In the second half, Thembi Kgatlana scored for Tigres to make it 2-1; her shot slipped through goalkeeper AD Franch’s clutches at the near post.

Debinha answered instantly to make it 3-1 with a right-footed rocket into the far corner.

Eighteen-year-old midfielder Claire Hutton scored her first professional goal in the 80th minute. She hit a powerful strike from the edge of the box that Santiago couldn’t keep out, parrying it into the top corner.

Semifinal details: The Current’s opponent for the Summer Cup semifinal round will be released in the coming days. An in-stadium announcement said that match will take place at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6. The other match will be at 4 p.m.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.