Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Utah Royals FC lost 3-0 to Kansas City Current, remaining winless this season.
- Injuries plague Utah, with seven players out, including captain Paige Monaghan.
- The Royals next face the Portland Thorns on April 11.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Utah Royals FC will have to wait a little longer for its first win of the season and first win over the Kansas City Current.
After winning both matchups in last year's series, the Current wasted no time making it three in a row Saturday with three goals in the first half to start their season with three wins in a 3-0 home win.
Utah, on the other hand, falls to a draw and two losses on the season with a two-week break before taking another crack at the win column on April 11 at America First Field against the Portland Thorns.
The injury list reached a season-high seven players for the Utah Royals in Kansas City with this week's announcement that center-back Tatumn Milazzo underwent surgery for a torn ACL before even playing a single game for her new team after arriving in January.
Captain Paige Monaghan also remains on the unavailable list after picking up a foot injury in Utah's season opener in Sandy. Head coach Jimmy Coenraets said the depth situation won't get any better in the near future with the closest players still "three, four or five weeks away" from returning to games.
Plenty of capable players still took the pitch for the Royals against the Current, including five recently called up to their national teams for the international break beginning Sunday.
The NWSL's 2024 MVP and Golden Boot winner, Temwa Chawinga, gave the Current a 2-0 lead 25 minutes in before the second was called back due to a handball. Michelle Cooper made up for her error with a goal in the 37th minute, and Debinha added a third during first-half stoppage time.
Goals from Temwa Chawinga, Michelle Cooper, and Debinha secure KC's third consecutive win to kick off the season!
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) March 30, 2025
KC Current vs Utah Royals highlights presented by @Nationwidepic.twitter.com/2UpS1AX1oL
Utah still believed, however, given last week's thrilling comeback attempt in a 3-2 loss in San Diego.
"I still had belief in us that we could come back, and I truly do believe that about this team whenever we go down," USWNT call-up Ally Sentnor said. "So I don't think it was a belief thing. I still think we could have come back. It was just the execution was a little off this game compared to last."
Sentnor and Coenraets shared a similar sentiment, feeling that the team did a better job of getting the ball from the defending third to the midfield but struggled to maintain possession in the midfield and translate that to good attacking chances.
Sentnor had the least touches of any outfield player to play 90 minutes, according to FotMob.
"It's the sharpness up front that we're missing right now," Coenraets said. "You have four offensive players, but we're not finding them in the right moments, at the right spots. And then whenever we find it, we don't have depth."
Sentnor, Mina Tanaka and Macey Fraser each got a shot on target against Kansas City, but Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena Leite had three saves to keep the clean sheet.
Utah goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn — who is joining Sentnor with the USWNT — also had three saves on the night but came up short on three other shots to give up goals in back-to-back weeks.
"A lot of their goals were just in their transition moments," McGlynn said. "They played to their strengths and were just a little more front-footed than us in the box. Definitely gonna look back at those cutback moments, those early crosses. I think that's something we can definitely grow and get better on."
Utah returns to America First Field on April 11 at 8 p.m. MDT against the Portland Thorns.
