Kansas City Current dominates Chicago in regular-season finale. Up next: NWSL playoffs
The Kansas City Current was without MVP front-runner and NWSL record goalscorer Temwa Chawinga for Sunday’s regular-season finale in Chicago.
You’d never have guessed.
Chawinga’s absence was no problem for the Current, who raced out to a big lead over the Chicago Red Stars by the 33rd minute — thanks to three goals in nine minutes.
“Obviously, she’s our best goalscorer,” Current manager Vlatko Andonovski said after the 3-1 win. “But I’m glad all three of our forwards were able to score a goal and bring the ‘W’ for us. I thought they were very dangerous. They scored really good goals, and they created some good opportunities.”
Ally Schlegel added a consolation goal in the second half for the Red Stars, but the Current got all it needed early.
Michelle Cooper scored her third goal of the season in the 24th minute, finishing with an expert left-footed strike past Alyssa Naeher. That goal was the 55th of the season for the Current, breaking the record for team goals scored in a season.
Two minutes later, that record was pushed to 56: Nichelle Prince made a strong effort to beat a defender to the ball before it went out of bounds. Prince passed to Vanessa DiBernardo, who poked the ball back to Debinha. Debinha’s shot tucked into the bottom corner off the post for her second straight game with a goal.
Prince added another for the Current when a Red Stars defender blocked a shot from DiBernardo straight into her path. Prince ripped a shot off the rebound past Naeher to make it 3-0 in the 33rd minute.
In previous matches — with the absence of Bia Zaneratto — Prince has played as the Current’s striker, but on Sunday she played as a winger because Andonovski felt her movement would exploit a weakness in Chicago’s defense. She turned in one of her best statistical games with a goal and assist.
“We felt that she was going to help Deb get more involved on the ball, and they were synchronized very well,” Andonovski said. “Especially in the first half, they executed very well.”
Schlegel scored, beating KC goalkeeper Almuth Schult in the 53rd minute. That marked just the third goal from open play the Current has conceded since a 2-1 loss to North Carolina on September 1.
The Current ended the regular season with a record of 16 wins, 3 losses, 7 draws for a club-best 55 points. KC scored 57 goals and had a goal differential of plus-26. The Current finished in fourth in the NWSL, just one point behind the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC for second and third, respectively.
Temwa Chawinga health update
Kansas City now enters the playoffs on an eight-match unbeaten streak in NWSL play. But a question looms with Chawinga’s health status up in the air.
Andonovski was coy about her availability post-match, saying it was day-to-day. He gave the same designation for Bia for the upcoming postseason. Their availability should be more evident in the coming days.
In the meantime, the team’s attention turns to the North Carolina Courage, who will meet the Current in the NWSL quarterfinals. That matchup at CPKC Stadium is on Saturday, with kickoff slated for 11 a.m.
Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.
This story was originally published November 3, 2024 at 4:33 PM.