Match Preview: Corinthians at KC Current

Nine months ago, the Kansas City Current added the third trophy to their case when they won the inaugural Teal Rising Cup. The team they beat to secure that hardware? Corinthians SC from Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino (Brazilian league). Well, that team from São Paulo is back for year two of the Teal Rising Cup and likely has revenge on their minds.

In that championship match from a year ago, the Current raced out to a two-goal lead within the first twenty minutes, only to have Corinthians immediately get one back and actually appear to be the better team at times through the second half. The Current did just enough to hang on and claim the title for the tournament they created.

Speaking of hanging on, the Current in 2026 have taken their fans on a ride with way more bumps than they’re used to. Five games into the regular season and there hasn’t been a single match in which they haven’t trailed. Yes, they have come from behind to win twice (both home games), but the pair of 2-1 wins bookending a trio of road losses have done little to calm a nervous fanbase.

The team was bolstered by the return of Temwa Chawinga last weekend and her presence (even for just about 40 minutes of the first half) gave the team a visible lift. With that said, it seems unlikely that she will be used too much (if at all) in the Teal Rising Cup. Perhaps she could make some appearances as she builds back up towards being fully match fit, but the team is, understandably, taking a cautious approach reintegrating their MVP.

Beyond Temwa, it may be a very mix-and-match sort of lineup for the two tournament games this week. Because this is an international break, the Current will already be missing six of numbers as Michelle Cooper (USA), Alley Sentnor (USA), Katie Scott (USA U-20), Rocky Rodríguez (Costa Rica), Kyra Karusa (Ireland), and Lorena (Brazil) report to their national teams. Add to this the seven athletes listed on the injury report from last weekend and the Current’s roster appears rather thin.

Perhaps Penelope Hocking will be available for these matches, but that still leaves a dozen absent from their ranks. With Lorena away and Clare Gagne still recovering from her concussion injury, Marisa Jordan will almost certainly make her debut in goal for KC. Other new (and often quite young) players such as Laney Rouse (defense), Kolo Suliafu (defense), Kelsey Branson (midfield), Gianna Paul (forward), & Amelia White (forward) may see significant playing time as they fill in for the missing regulars and provide rest for others who have had a high volume of use through the first few weeks of the season. The tournament should also provide a ramping up opportunity for someone like Bayley Feist, who is working her way back from her own injury and will likely be an important piece in the defensive midfield for the team moving forward.

Beyond a chance to stay sharp and perhaps tinker with a few things, this break from the regular season could also function as a bit of a reset for this team. The Current have hardly looked like themselves and whether that’s due to roster construction, coaching, cohesion, injuries, or some other factors, it will be important for KC to revert to their former selves as quickly as possible, especially considering their next league match is in Washington against the back-to-back runners up Spirit.

The other half of the Teal Rising Cup bracket is filled out by the Mexican side Club América and Bia’s old/new team Palmeiras. Those two teams square off at 5:00 Thursday as the first part of a double header. There will be another twin billing on Sunday with a 3rd place match and a championship game. Last summer, even with a heavily rotated team, the Current cruised into the title match of this competition. Can they do it again? Corinthians won’t make it easy. They are currently in first place of Brazil’s top flight soccer league and are they have been the national champions for six straight years.

ENJOY TEAL RISING CUP INTERNATIONALLY 🌎Tune in as your favorite teams compete for the title April 9 & 12 👏Get tickets: bit.ly/040826TRCTixBS

— KC Current (@kansascitycurrent.bsky.social) 2026-04-08T17:32:31.052Z

WHEN: Thursday, April 9 at 8:00 PM (Central Time)

WHERE: CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, MO

HOW TO WATCH: ion

Record:

KC Current (domestic league): 2-0-3 (6 points, 11th place)

Corinthians (domestic league): 4-1-1 (13 points, 1st place)

Last Match:

KC Current: 2-1 home win versus Gotham FC

Update: Lorena picked up an injury and won’t travel with Brazil.