Kansas City Current erupts for 6 goals to win Teal Rising Cup over former KC star

In the first 10 minutes of Sunday’s Teal Rising Cup championship game, the Kansas City Current put two goals past Palmeiras.

KC never looked back, coasting to a 6-1 victory at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City.

Haley Hopkins had a hat trick and created another score by way of a Palmeiras own goal, bringing her tally to four goal contributions in the 2026 Teal Rising Cup. She won MVP honors for the second year in a row.

“Everything we do is to score goals,” Current coach Chris Armas said. “So then to see the team get rewarded on a set piece, on a high pressing moment, you don’t always get to reap the rewards. But the team did tonight.”

Armas praised Hopkins’ play over the tournament, particularly as the team’s striker; she’d mostly lined up on the wing this season. Her size and control while holding the ball up helped create many of the Current’s scoring opportunities, whether for herself or teammates.

The KC coach also praised Hopkins’ intensity both as an attacker and in leading the team’s press.

“She’s someone that we say makes things happen,” Armas said. “For someone that works as hard as she does, it’s nice to see that reward.”

KC Current dominated from the start

It was all Current from the outset, and Hopkins was involved in just about everything. Palmeiras rattled the bar a minute in, but the Current went on the counter immediately, and Hopkins’ service created an own goal.

“It was pretty relentless for all of us in that first half, finding our opportunities and executing on those chances,” Hopkins said. “It was a culmination of a lot of training sessions.”

Minutes later, Hopkins got on the scoreboard after a pass from Lo LaBonta in the box. Hopkins may have been offside, but with no VAR in the tournament, the goal stood.

Amelia White scored her first pro goal in the 15th minute to make it 3-0. A cross attempt ended up tucking inside the top corner of the net, a spectacularly unintentional first goal.

Hopkins then scored the Current’s fourth goal in the 26th minute, heading the perfect free-kick service of Croix Bethune — Hopkins called the pass a “dime” — into the net. Hopkins said that was her favorite goal on the night.

“I’m like 5-10,” Hopkins said. “Surely, ‘strong in the air’ is one of my strengths as a player. So I should (score), you know.”

Hopkins added her third goal — and the Current’s fifth — in the 36th minute thanks to a pass in behind from Debinha. Hopkins dribbled around the Palmeiras goalkeeper and passed the ball into the empty net.

Temwa Chawinga added the Current’s sixth goal just before halftime, linking up with Bethune.

Bia Zaneratto scored against her old team, heading home Palmeiras’ lone goal of the game late in the second half.

Corinthians took third place in the tournament this year, defeating Club America 8-0.

Where does the Current go from here?

The Kansas City Current has had one bad week, losing three road matches. And that stretch included the team trying to acclimate with players working back from injury in Chawinga and LaBonta.

But now the team has won three games across all competitions and looked good doing so.

Performances like those the team put forth in the Teal Rising Cup can only help bring more confidence to a team that — for seven days — seemed to have lost its way.

“Energy is contagious within a team … and so is winning,” Armas said. “That’s why it’s really important that the team experiences winning and scoring. Nothing else can give that to the player when you experience what that feels like.”

Up next: The Current returns to NWSL action on April 24 in Washington, D.C., against the Spirit.

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

This story was originally published April 12, 2026 at 8:24 PM.