KC Current Extend their Unbeaten Run to 16!

The Kansas City Current went to the West Coast with nothing to play for. And their lineup reflected that luxury. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski handed first career NWSL starts to 17-year-old Alex Pfeiffer, 18-year-old Mary Long and a second career start to 18-year-old Katie Scott. The front line was fully rotated with three new starters, with Haley Hopkins rounding out the front three. There was a lot of firepower on the bench, but that didn’t include NWSL Golden Boot leader, Temwa Chawinga, who joined Kayla Sharples on the injury list.

THE TEAL IS FOR REAL 🤩#KCBABY

— KC Current (@kansascitycurrent.bsky.social) 2025-10-07T01:58:05.255Z

Angel City FC did not have the luxury Vlatko had. They are fighting for their playoff lives, needing every point they can get their hands on (and probably some help) to make the playoffs. They rolled out a newer formation, shifting into a back three.

With six new starters in the KC Current’s lineup, it showed early. The game was disjointed and sloppy out of the gate. Both teams struggled to link together multiple passes. The only efforts towards the goal were very long-range and exclusively coming from Angel City. In the 17th minute, Riley Tiernan had the best effort up to that point. She floated a long, chipped shot that nearly beat Lorena but skimmed off the post and out for a goal kick.

The disjointed nature of the game continued until a little over 30 minutes in when ACFC found themselves with an attacking set piece. The initial ball was partially cleared before the ball fell to Sugita, who didn’t catch it clean, and Lorena was able to gather it with ease.

The 43rd minute saw Angel City generate their 6th shot of the half. A nice interplay up the right side of the attack saw Gisele Thompson find Jonsdottir, who spun to create a shot, but was off balance and it trickled into the arms of Lorena.

I’m not sure if it was all the rotation, or the over-watered pitch, but the game was super slow. The KC Current didn’t even generate a shot as the game went into halftime with the score level 0-0. Angel City absolutely dominated possession (67-33), shots (6-0) and in passing accuracy (83-69).

The second half started with the same lineups from both squads.

The first big chance of the half came from a beautiful turn from Sugita in the 48th minute to lose Claire Hutton, before she blasted the shot well wide of the goal. Almost immediately after that, Jun Endo snuck into space at the top of the box and pinged a shot off the post and out for a goal kick.

With still no shots generated, the KC Current went to their bench in the 58th minute for a double sub. Long and Pfeiffer headed to the bench for Michelle Cooper and Bia Zaneratto. CBS was busy trying to sneak in a commercial and the subs immediately made an impact and scored a goal. A throw into Bia was held up and Hopkins darted through with the ball. Hopkins sent in an inch-perfect cross and Cooper finished it. Cooper and Ally Sentnor collided on the goal, as Sentnor tried to get her first goal, but the credit fell to her USWNT teammate. 1-0 Kansas City!

Angel City went to their bench right after the goal, bringing on Kennedy Fuller, who also found herself in on goal nearly immediately. Her clear chance was blocked by a lunging Elizabeth Ball to keep the KC lead at 1-0.

In the 71st, Fuller was at it again, finding herself in space on the back post. Lorena and Izzy Rodriguez combined to make the save for the Fuller shot that seemed destined for the back of the net. The recycled ball would see Angel City get off another chance that rippled the outside of the net.

KC made a couple more subs right after that chance, bringing in Nichelle Prince and Debinha for Hopkins and Sentnor, respectively. In the 74th, Angel City went to their bench to bring in USWNT Legend, Christen Press. Briefly after, Kansas City made their final sub bringing off Scott for Ellie Wheeler.

Both teams continued to generate half chances that often didn’t end in shots because of a missed pass or a late defensive intervention. The game’s first yellow card came out in the 89th when Wheeler bulled over the back of a counter attacking ACFC player to setup a free kick. Lorena won the punch of the kick to extinguish the Los Angeles chance.

Five minutes of stoppage time would be shown by the fourth official. The center ref would make a terrible foul call on Cooper a couple minutes in. Michelle clearly got Sugita with a clean shoulder-to-shoulder challenge, but a foul was given. It didn’t matter as the LA substitute, Maiara Niehues, sent her shot just over the bar. A couple half-chances later and the final whistle would blow. Kansas City win 1-0 over Angel City to extend their unbeaten streak to 16.

It also was their league record 19th win of the 2025 NWSL season.

The KC Current are back at home this Saturday to face Gotham FC.