The KC Current Gut Out a Record Setting Home Win Over Boston Legacy

The Kansas City Current return home for the final game before the NWSL goes on their World Cup break. They welcomed expansion side, Boston Legacy FC, to CPKC Stadium for the first ever meeting between the teams.

The KC Current rolled out a nearly identical lineup to the squad who defeated the Portland Thorns 3-1 last weekend. The only change was Elizabeth Ball returning at center back and sending Gabby Robinson to the bench. For the second straight game, Ellie Bravo-Young kept her starting spot at right back over rookie Laney Rouse.

PLAY. WITH. PRIDE. 🌈✨

— KC Current (@kansascitycurrent.bsky.social) 2026-05-30T16:30:39.618Z

A familiar face was on the other side of the pitch wearing the captain’s armband. Former KC Current winger, Nichelle Prince, wore the neon green for Boston. She was lined up at right wingback in Boston’s back five.

How we're kicking off against the Current 🫡

— Boston Legacy FC (@bostonlegacyfc.com) 2026-05-30T16:30:06.33290355Z

The Current got off to a quick start putting Boston under pressure and earned an early corner. On a recycled ball off the corner, Kayla Sharples won a header but collided with a Boston’s Laurel Ansbrow in the process. After a very long delay where they appeared to be stopping her bleeding, and going through concussion protocol, she was ultimately subbed off for Robinson.

Possibly due to the over seven-minute delay, the game came out herky-jerky. Boston had moments where they were on the front foot and earned a corner and KC would get a half-counter going before turning the ball over. It wasn’t until the 17th minute when they got Temwa Chawinga in behind for a shot, but the defense smothered her and it didn’t have much on it.

The next half chance came off a throw in. Temwa beat Prince and dribbled through the midfield before hitting a switch to Michelle Cooper. She chopped the ball into her left foot and hit her shot just over the bar.

Boston had a near miss in the 23rd minute when a cross came in and Izzy Rodriguez’s deflected clearance went just wide of her own goal. She laid on the ground for a moment, likely collecting herself after that dicey moment.

The best chance of the first half came in the 32nd minute. Bayley Feist was played the ball in the midfield, and she dribbled through traffic and slipped a nice through ball to Chawinga who tested Casey Murphy. The sometimes USWNT keeper was up to the task, making the save and barely kept the ball from going out for a corner.

After the hydration break, Boston seemed to have the better of the action but wasn’t able to put much together. When Kansas City would win the ball back, they were too quick to turn it over and force themselves back on defense. In general, KC was having trouble breaking down Boston’s back five.

After the Sharples injury and the hydration break, there would be a minimum of nine minutes of stoppage time. At 45+4, Boston turned the ball over in the midfield and it looked like Ally Sentnor was going to play Temwa in to be one on one with the keeper, but a badly weighted pass went right to Casey Murphy.

Robinson, who herself was already a sub, took a hard challenge just before halftime from midfielder Annie Karich. It was clearly studs to the shin, but referee Brad Jenson only handed out a common foul.

The teams headed into halftime tied. Boston led in possession (55/45), shots (8/4) and shots on goal (2/1). Boston made a couple subs at the half, bringing on Sammy Smith and Aleigh Gambone for Micki Hernandez and Hasbo. The KC Current didn’t make any changes.

After a plodding start to the half, KC had back-to-back chances. Temwa stole the ball on the edge of the 18-yard-box but turned it over in one pass under minimal pressure. Then she made up for it after Croix Bethune played her a nice pass that she backheeled to a wide open Sentnor. Unfortunately, Ally correctly tried to use her left foot based on the how the ball was coming in but she got it all wrong and it was out for a goal kick.

In the 56th, Karich made a terrible pass straight to Temwa, but her final dribbled was too heavy and she missed her window to pass Sentnor the ball in space. Boston had a flurry of possession after this with balls flying through the box, but they couldn’t muster a shot. In the madness of those two minutes, Sentnor took a challenge from Jorelyn Carabali and apparently injured her foot. She would ultimately be subbed off for Haley Hopkins.

Sentnor injured her foot apparently in a challenge with Carabali. She's coming off and being replaced by Haley Hopkins. #KCBaby #KCvBOS

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2026-05-30T18:56:35.272Z

The sub seemed to spark something in the team. Kansas City were all over Boston for the next few minutes. Michelle Cooper hit a shot that drifted just wide of the post. Then Bethune hit a rocket that went just over the bar. They nearly had another moment when Lo LaBonta won a ball in the midfield but Croix and Temwa ended up on top of each other and gave the ball back to Boston. Around this time, Hopkins and Temwa had flipped roles, with Haley moving to the left-wing spot. Perhaps to have her fresh legs handle the left side of the press.

In the 68th minute, Chris Armas went to his bench again, this time bringing on rookie Amelia White for Cooper in a like for like switch.

After that, Kansas City finally broke through. Izzy stole the ball in the midfield, before a beautiful flick pass by LaBonta was played through to Croix. Her initial touch got away from her, but she continued to beat defenders and launch a shot at Murphy. She made the save, then Carabali saved the Temwa rebound, before the third strike was too much! 1-0 KC as Temwa bags her seventh goal of the season.

After the goal, Kansas City kept the pressure on. White stole a ball on the endline, before mishitting a pass into the box. There were several other moments where KC had the ball but couldn’t generate a chance.

The Current went back to their bench for a double sub in the 80th minute. Rocky Rodriguez returned from injury to replace Feist and Laney Rouse replaced Bethune, pushing Bravo-Young to the wing and White inside to attacking midfielder. In the 84th minute, the ref remembered he had yellow cards and issues the game’s first. The pop from the crowd was probably nearly as loud as the goal from a few minutes earlier.

In the 89th minute, Temwa did what she does and gutted out a race to the corner to beat the defender and play a cheeky flick off of her for a throw. The crowd was shocked when eight minutes of stoppage time was announced but there had been injuries to Ally and Ellie, numerous subs and a goal. It felt mildly lengthy, but there were plenty of delays. It wouldn’t matter as Boston couldn’t keep control of the ball.

The games 2nd yellow came in the 2nd minute of stoppage time when Barbara Olivieri clattered through the back of LaBonta. That led to another delay as LaBonta received treatment on the field. It ultimately only led to another minute of stoppage time being added on, but KC effectively killed it all off to earn the 1-0 win over Boston.

It marked the 10th straight regular season home win and 23rd straight game at home unbeaten in the regular season. Both are NWSL records.

The NWSL takes the next month off for their mandated break and the Men’s FIFA World Cup, but the Current will return slight before that to face NJ/NY Gotham in the NWSL Challenge Cup, between the Shield and Cup winners from the 2025 season. That game will be at a neutral site in Columbus, Ohio, the home of the league’s 18th NWSL expansion franchise. That trophy competition is on June 26th. Their next NWSL game is on July 3rd against expansion Denver Summit who will have USWNT star Lindsey Heaps at that point. They don’t return home until July 17th against the San Diego Wave.