KC NWSL 2 Racing 1

Courtesy ISI Photos

Racing showed that they are not quite ready to be a consistent team yet. I don't buy the fatigue narrative given by the Paramount Plus team. You can't lift a trophy and then put in a performance like this. Winning a trophy also means I also won’t pull any punches in my player ratings going forward.

Betos-6: Typical game. Had to make too many saves, but I wonder if she got caught a little flat footed on the second KC goal.

Fox-6: Anonymous for the most part. Not her best effort.

Simon-4: Needed taking off if just to get some rest. Also needed a teammate to shout that she had time on the own goal, but still made an absolutely awful mess of it.

Riehl-6: Solid, but unspectacular.

Bonner-6: I think she must have broken a mirror while walking under a ladder and stepping on a crack in the pavement, because she has had a rough few games physically. Still fought hard.

McCaskill-5: For some reason looked two steps slower going forward vs. defending. Seemed to always pick the wrong way to pivot when in possession too.

Nagasato-6: I thought she injected some energy in the 2nd half.

Olofsson-4: Racing finally paid the price for overworking her. Her bad pass led to goal one and was caught flat-footed on the second.

Salmon-5: Seems like a different player when she plays too wide. Tonight she often received tbe ball in wide areas, but could do nothing with it.

Nadim-7: Surely only substituted to protect her hamstring. Her class shows in every match. Racing's chances of finding a second goal fell precipitously when she was subbed off.

Kizer-8 (Player of the Match): Hit a stunning goal from a difficult angle. Had 2 chances created as well.

Otto-6: Steady as a replacement for Olofsson.

Miramontez-5: Played fine until the first yellow. Then absolutely deserved a straight red for the hair pull. I’m not sure how the NWSL reviews cards, but I wouldn't be surprised to see that second yellow upgraded to red.