KC Current earn first road win of the season

Winless on the road, the Kansas City Current headed to North Carolina to face the Courage at First Horizon Stadium. With four defeats away from CPKC Stadium, anything short of three points would continue the conversation about changes within the organization/roster/lineup. A win in North Carolina would put those on hold for at least another week as the Current won 2-1 in Cary, NC.

Head Coach Chris Armas has a very talented roster, and the starting lineup alone for tonight’s match would give the Current fanbase some confidence, even without Debinha, who missed due to a knee injury. With Debinha unavailable, Armas went with Lo’eau LaBonta and Rocky Rodriguez in the double pivot, allowing Croix Bethune to move to a more creative midfield role. Laney Rouse earned her second start at the right back position, and Elizabeth Ball also returned to the starting centerback position alongside Kayla Sharples.

Starting May strong 💪

— KC Current (@kansascitycurrent.bsky.social) 2026-05-02T21:30:09.698Z

In all six games of the regular season so far (home and away), the Current had yet to be the first team to score and go into halftime with the lead. And for the first time this season, Kansas City headed to the locker room after the first half with a 2-0 lead, taking advantage of getting past the Courage defense with 9 shots, 2 shots on target, and an xG of 1.68.

It would be Croix Bethune in the 8th minute to give Kansas City its first goal of the evening. Rouse, after receiving a pass from the LaBonta, sent a cross into the box. A Courage defender deflected the cross, but it landed right in front of Bethune, who volleyed it in for a goal, her second of the season.

DO YOUR DANCE CROIX 💃Croix Bethune wasting no time delivering her second goal of the season 👏@nwslsoccer.com | #KCBABY

— KC Current (@kansascitycurrent.bsky.social) 2026-05-02T22:47:09.682Z

Bethune would assist in the second, sending a through ball to Michelle Cooper, right after Cooper passed the ball back to her. Cooper took the ball straight to the box, beating North Carolina goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and scoring from an angle, making 2-0 in the first 25 minutes of the game. The goal marked Cooper’s second of the season as well.

Michelle Cooper beats the keeper and scores at an impossible angle 📐

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2026-05-02T23:14:50.479Z

While the Current worked to break down the Courage’s possession-based attack and took advantage of the space North Carolina gave them for opportunities on goal in the first 45 minutes, the second half was a different story. North Carolina spent the majority of the second half pressing. 10 total shots, 4 on target, 58% possession, and an xG of 1.42 told the story for the Courage. Meanwhile, the Current had 0 shots on goal in the second half.

Lorena’s 3 saves and the defense holding strong with 21 clearances and 2 blocks were enough to keep North Carolina from equalizing. The Courage did come close in the 84th after a scramble in the box led to their only goal in the evening. Manaka Matsukubo got the last touch after Lorena blocked it, and Rouse tried to clear it away. The Current spent the next 10 minutes, including stoppage time, holding on for their first road game of the season.