KC Current closes out historic NWSL regular season with 1st comeback win of 2025

For all the records the Kansas City Current broke in 2025, it took until the final day of the regular season for the team to accomplish one thing.

The Current had yet to earn even a single point when trailing in a game. San Diego’s eighth-minute goal put that to the test on Sunday at CPKC Stadium.

The Current passed that test with flying colors, scoring twice in the second half for a 2-1 victory in the club’s final National Women’s Soccer League match of the regular season.

Nichelle Prince came off the bench to replace an injured Bia Zaneratto and scored the game-winner in the 75th minute.

The Current finish the NWSL regular season in first place with a record of 21-3-2. The team’s point total of 65 is the best mark in league history. In 2,340 minutes of NWSL action, the Current trailed for just 120.

KC coach Vlatko Andonovski credited a mindset shift at halftime as the reason for his team’s comeback.

“It was one of those that we’re just not gonna give up this game, no matter what,” Andonovski said. “I know (the game) doesn’t mean anything for the standings, or for the playoffs, but it’s important that we go into the playoffs with the right rhythm.”

The game started out in the manner that Andonovski wanted, at least for the first few minutes. Dudinha opened the scoring for San Diego, dribbling through the Current defense before blazing a shot through the legs of her Brazilian compatriot, Lorena.

“The goal happened, and it changed the game for us,” Andonovski said.

He said that for the rest of the first half, the Current was searching for an answer to what the game needed.

“Do we have to be more patient? Do we have to be more vertical? What are the runs that we need?” the coach said.

Already down Temwa Chawinga, the Current then lost Bia to injury just before halftime. But Kansas City would come roaring back.

“I think we talked a lot about just looking at ourselves individually,” Prince said of the halftime conversation. “What we could do better individually, effort-wise, positional-wise, and I think that’s where it started.”

Andonovski said the team needed a spark, a moment of brilliance to get things started.

“Usually when the moment of brilliance comes, Deb is first on the list,” he said. “You expect her to do it.”

Debinha scored her eighth goal of the year on a brilliant free kick from outside the edge of the penalty area. On the winning goal in the 75th minute, Debinha played a perfect pass to Haley Hopkins, who’d entered the game as a substitute.

“That exact goal was something that we’ve done a million times in training,” Hopkins said. “I saw Niche (Nichelle) out of the corner of my eye, and I was like, ‘Perfect.’ All I had to do was get the ball to her, and I knew it was going to be in the back of the net.”

Next came a deft pass between the back line and the goalkeeper to a wide-open Prince at the back post. Prince took the shot first-time off the post ... and in it went.

The Current will play host to Gotham FC in the first round of the NWSL playoffs at 11:30 a.m. Central Time on Sunday, Nov. 9 (TV: ABC). Gotham slipped to the eighth seed since facing the Current as the third seed on Oct. 11.

Elsewhere, Racing Louisville defeated Bay FC to clinch a playoff spot for the first time in the team’s five-year history.

And KC’s Chawinga clinched the Golden Boot for a second consecutive year, leading the league with 15 goals scored in the 2025 season.

This story was originally published November 2, 2025 at 4:50 PM.