KC Current loses Saturday’s match, and potentially superstar Chawinga, at Houston

Dropping Saturday night’s road game to the Houston Dash by a 1-0 score, the only goal coming via Ryan Gareis, wasn’t the most significant loss of the night for the Kansas City Current.

Looming larger over the Current’s third defeat of the 2025 National Women’s Soccer League season was an injury to forward Temwa Chawinga, who went down — away from the ball — 23 minutes into the contest at Houston’s Shell Energy Stadium.

The reigning NWSL MVP and current Golden Boot leader was carried off the field by her teammates, unable to put weight on her right leg. She was then taken to the locker room in a wheelchair.

Chawinga was listed as questionable — with a knee injury — going into the match. After the game, head coach Vlatko Andonovski said it was not a knee injury but an “upper leg” injury that knocked her out of the game.

The Current had no definitive answer on the extent of her injury, as the club awaited the results of an MRI during the postgame news conference. Andonovski said the team was trying to build up her minutes going toward the postseason with the knee injury behind her, and she felt 100% going into the game.

“This was a game that she should have played about 60 minutes,” Andonovski said. “Obviously, something happened. It’s a freak accident.”

In the grand scheme of things, the game result itself doesn’t really affect the Current. KC has been locked into the league’s top playoff seed for three weeks. The goal by the host Dash was just the 12th conceded by KC all season.

“All I can say (about the result), if it had to happen, I’m glad it happened now and not two games from now,” Andonovski said.

The Current didn’t go without a fight, dominating in chances and possession for 90 minutes. The Current took 20 shots, and the team held 60% of possession. KC even had eight corner kicks.

Nichelle Prince was the player who came on for Chawinga — after the injury. She noted the team kept creating chances even in Chawinga’s absence.

“Honestly, there were just some unlucky moments, and some moments where we just needed to be more clinical,” Prince said. “A little bit more ruthless in front of the goal.”

It was a counterattack in the 69th minute that produced the evening’s lone goal. The Dash tore down the sideline and played a low, driven cross through the box to Gareis, whose run was not tracked. She placed her shot into the top corner.

“Definitely not time to panic,” Andonovski said. “We knew every game is going to be a learning opportunity. … Now we’re going to go back in on the drawing board and see what things we could have done different.”

The Dash needed to win to keep alive any hope of gaining a postseason berth. Even then, Houston needs help to sneak into the playoffs.

Up next: The Current will take a break for international play next week, returning on the league’s final day — Nov. 2 — for a home match against the San Diego Wave. Kickoff time will be announced in coming days.

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

This story was originally published October 18, 2025 at 9:43 PM.