Three KC Current stars scored on Saturday. Oh, and another returned from injury
The Kansas City Current got off to a fast start Saturday night and never looked back.
Three first-half goals from three different players paced the Current to a 3-0 win over the Utah Royals at CPKC Stadium.
With the result, the Current remained tied for first on points with the Orlando Pride. Both teams are 3-0-0 to start the year. Orlando holds the tiebreaker on goal differential.
For the second year in a row, KC has started the season with three wins. However, the team looks a little different.
Last season, the Current scored 10 goals in its first three matches, but conceded seven times. In 2025?
“We have eight goals in three games,” head coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “We only got scored on once in three games. I mean, that’s something that we’re happy with. And hopefully we can continue doing well going forward.”
Michelle Cooper was the star of the game, putting in a tireless and productive 55 minutes before coming off the pitch. She notched a goal and an assist to add to the attack, while winning eight of her 11 duels on the defensive side.
Utah didn’t have an answer for her, and Cooper’s play led to most of the Current’s success in the first half.
Cooper glided past Utah Royals defender Madison Pogarch on multiple occasions, and in the 22nd minute, she found her end product. After getting by Pogarch, Cooper’s initial cross was blocked but it came right back to her.
Cooper then delivered a blistering pass to the back post for one of the easiest shots Temwa Chawinga will ever have — a tap-in from two yards out into an open net.
Cooper scored one herself 15 minutes later when Chawinga’s cross was deflected into the path of Cooper at the back post. She roofed a shot past Utah goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn.
Debinha added the team’s third just before halftime when a deflected shot landed right in her path for an easy finish.
The Current managed out the second half to keep a second straight clean sheet.
The front group of Debinha, Chawinga and Cooper was fantastic working together and individually.
“It’s the same team,” Chawinga said. “We didn’t change a lot. That’s why we know each other (so well).”
The second straight clean sheet was also a point of pride for the back line, according to defender Izzy Rodriguez.
“This year, we’re coming out and we’re firing on all cylinders,” Rodriguez said. “We’re relying on everybody to do their job, and the clean sheets are something that we as the back line really take pride in. So I’m really happy we’re starting with two of those.”
Bia Zaneratto returns
Another memorable moment came in the second half, when Bia Zaneratto returned to the lineup for the first time this season. She entered as a substitute in the 72nd minute.
The CPKC stadium crowd was so loud when she was announced as a sub that the announcement couldn’t even be heard in-stadium.
Up next: KC gets the next week off, as will the rest of the NWSL during the international break. The next match for the Current is Saturday, April 12, on the road in San Diego. That match is set for a 9 p.m. Central kickoff.
Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.
This story was originally published March 29, 2025 at 9:19 PM.