RECAP: HEATHER O’REILLY LEADS FC KANSAS CITY WITH A HAT TRICK IN WIN OVER MISSOURI

The Blues visited Mizzou for the second consecutive preseason

COLUMBIA, Missouri (March 21, 2024) – One day after winning their first preseason game of the year, FC Kansas City visited the Audrey J. Walton Stadium at the University of Missouri. Led by USWNT veteran Heather O’Reilly, the Blues earned a 3-1 victory.

Coach Vlatko Andonovski’s team featured an entirely different starting lineup from yesterday at Durwood Stadium as midfielder Kaysie Clark returned to her alma mater.

Despite the cold and windy weather, both teams stepped on the field with an offensive mindset. However, the Tigers struggled to keep FC Kansas City off their own half for the majority of the game.

Sixteen minutes into the match, O’Reilly notched her first tally of the night when her shot from inside the eighteen beat goalkeeper Kelsey Dossey. Six minutes later, midfielder Melanie Donaldson was awarded a penalty kick after being fouled inside the box followed by a good conversion to equalize.

At the half hour mark, the referee called another penalty kick, this time on Missouri after a handball. O’Reilly stepped up and simply placed it to Dossey’s right to regain the lead and end the half with a 2-1 score.

Halfway through the second half, O’Reilly completed her hat trick after a great offensive play and an even better definition.

FC Kansas City will be back in action on Saturday when the team visits the University of Kansas to face the Jayhawks.

Starting Lineup:

Barnhart (Rowland); Frisbie (Arlitt), Sauerbrunn, Averbuch, Taylor, Buczkowski (Andujar), Laddish (Clark), Silva (Kastor), O’Reilly, Tymrak, Groom (McCarty).

Scoring Summary:

1-0 Heather O’Reilly, 16

1-1 Melanie Donaldson, 22

2-1 Heather O’Reilly, 30

3-1 Heather O’Reilly, 64

Disciplinary Summary:

Mandy Laddish (Caution), 38