Soccer-Kansas City Current open history-making stadium with win

Beckie struck again from distance to cut the lead to one, but the Current denied the Thorns an equalizer under sunny skies in Missouri.

Kansas City Current cut the ribbon on the first U.S. stadium built specifically for a professional women's soccer team on Saturday and then treated the sold-out crowd to a thrilling 5-4 win over Portland Thorns. Current midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo scored the first goal at the 11,500-capacity, privately financed CPKC Stadium on the banks of the Missouri River in the 22nd minute on the opening day of the NWSL season.

Rookie Ellie Wheeler fired home three minutes later, and speedy Beatriz Zaneratto Joao gave the Current a 3-0 advantage before Portland pulled one back through Sophia Smith heading into halftime. After the break, Current Forward Kristen Hamilton pounced on a ball that got away from Thorns keeper Shelby Hogan for 4-1 as TV cameras showed Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrating in a box.

Alex Pfieffer made it 5-1 moments later, but the Thorns would not go away as Janine Beckie scored off a corner kick and Smith tallied her second of the game to cut the lead to 5-3. Beckie struck again from distance to cut the lead to one, but the Current denied the Thorns an equalizer under sunny skies in Missouri.

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