KC Current goes international with Summer Cup on Saturday. Previewing match vs. Pachuca

Technically, the Kansas City Current already began its first “international tournament” with last weekend’s win over the Houston Dash in the NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup.

While the Summer Cup is international, the first matchup was anything but that. Houston and Kansas City played each other for the 12th time in the last three seasons, including the playoffs in 2022 and the NWSL Challenge Cup.

So, Saturday’s matchup against Pachuca will be the club’s first international opponent in a competitive tournament. Let’s get to know the opponent a little better...

Who is Pachuca?

C.F. Pachuca Femenil hails from Pachuca, located 50 miles north of Mexico City in the Mexican state of Hidalgo. The team draws its nickname — Las Tuzas (miners) — from the city’s extensive mining history and the origination of the first organized soccer team in the city.

In 1900, a group of Cornish and British settlers organized the Pachuca Athletic Club.

Pachuca’s women’s team was established in late 2016 following the creation of the LIGA MX Femenil. That spring, Pachuca won the first-ever women’s soccer tournament in Mexico, winning the final 9-1 against Tijuana. Pachuca also hosted the first-ever league match in LIGA MX Femenil at its stadium, Estadio Hidalgo.

Liga MX, for both the men and women, has two separate seasons within a season: the Apertura (opening), which runs from July to December, and the Clausura (closing), which runs from January to May. There is a playoff after each season.

Pachuca has made the final three times in its history and lost every time.

Who to watch for

Pachuca’s top scorer is Charlyn Corral, who has scored 92 goals for the club since 2021. She is nominated for the CONCACAF Women’s Player of the Year, scoring 40 goals and notching 9 assists.

Midfielder Karla Nieto and goalkeeper Esthefanny Barreras all joined Corral, playing for Mexico at the most recent CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup this winter. Defender Andrea Pereira played for the Spanish national team but was not involved in its World Cup win, as she was one of the 15 players who refused to play for the team over alleged treatment from Jorge Vilda and the coaches.

As a whole, Pachuca has started its 2024 Apertura campaign well, winning 3-1 over Queretaro and 5-0 over Necaxa the week prior.

What the Current is saying

It’s clear Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski is doing his scouting. On Tuesday, he praised Pachuca’s Monday night performance against Queretaro.

“We see they did very well in their game last night,” Andonovski said. “They’re dangerous. They can hurt you in different ways.”

There is also a lot of excitement about switching things up opponent-wise, maybe even more so after playing Houston for the 12th time in three years.

“I think the NWSL has this high intensity, quick speed of play, and playing different leagues, you’ll be faced with different types of play,” midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo said. “So I think it’s good for us to experience different styles.”

The Current and Pachuca kick off from CPKC Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m.

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