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KC Current win 4-1 in final regular season home game

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Photo Credit: Thad Bell | KC Soccer Journal

The Kansas City Current returned to CPKC Stadium for the last regular season home game to host the San Diego Wave, a team looking to stay in contention for the NWSL Playoffs. A loss today would eliminate the Wave from playing in November. For the Current, a win would continue to keep them in the race to finish number two or three at the end of the season. Though the Current have clinched a home playoff game for the quarterfinals, a win was necessary to stay competitive with Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit for the number two spot and a potential semi-final match at CPKC Stadium.

Starting XI 

With Bia Zaneratto out for a second consecutive week with an injury, and Hailie Mace suspended due to yellow card accumulation, Izzy Rodriguez and Claire Hutton returned to the starting XI. Debinha was rested from the starting line up for this game.

nwslsoccer.com

First half: Michelle Cooper had a good first half

Kansas City, as usual, attacked early, with Temwa Chawinga often driving the attack. The San Diego Wave defense was quick to put numbers on her, and with defender Naomi Girma being the main defender in 1-1 situations. With Chawinga covered, other Kansas City attackers were left unmarked, including Michelle Cooper. 20 minutes in and with the Current on the attack, the ball sent into the goal box by Vanessa DiBenardo was blocked, but it bounced right to Cooper at the top of the box. Cooper was able to send it in for the first goal of the game.

Nine minutes later, it would be Cooper once again creating an opportunity for the Current. With possession in the box after an Izzy Rodriguez cross to the back post, Cooper then appeared to chip the ball for a cross, but it also looked like a shot on goal? In the stadium, it was announced as a Cooper goal, but it was later credited as an own by goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. As Sheridan tried to grab the ball to save it, it bounced into the goal. Was it a Cooper goal? Was it an own goal? The argument could be for both, honestly. Kansas City led 2-0 at halftime.

Second goal: Temwa Chawinga has to be front runner for MVP

Coming into the game, Temwa Chawinga had scored against every NWSL team this season, except the San Diego Wave. The Wave defense made sure it stayed that way in the first half, but they would not be able to stop her in the second half, especially as the Current took control and pushed for another goal.

As the Current pressed once again looking for their third goal, a pass found Nichelle Prince who took it into the box and crossed it right to Chawinga, who was able to lose her defender. The goal marked her 20th of the season, adding to her lead as the record holder for most goals scored in a single season.

The scoring would not stop at Chawinga, though. Kansas City added a fourth goal in the 80th minute with Debinha scoring her second goal of the season. Debinha had just subbed for Chawinga in the 80th minute as well. The goal was assisted by Nichelle Prince who marked her 100th NWSL regular season appearance. With Debinha’s goal, the Current have now scored 54 goals, tying the 2019 North Carolina Courage for most goals by a team in a season.

San Diego would not leave quietly and scored a goal of their own in the 88th minute, briefly silencing the crowd, but the 4-1 win would be for the Current on their final regular season home game at CPKC Stadium and a last season game at home for Desiree Scott, who announced her retirement this week. Scott played the final 10 minutes of regulation plus the seven minutes of stoppage time.

NWSL Match Report
Match: Kansas City Current vs. San Diego Wave FC
Date: October 19, 2024
Venue: CPKC Stadium, Kansas City MO
Kickoff: 12:05 p.m. CT/10:05 a.m. PT
Weather: 70 degrees, sunny
Attendance: 11,500

Discipline
75’ San Diego – Morroni (Yellow)

Scoring
22’ Kansas City – Cooper
31’ Kansas City – Own Goal (Sheridan)
54’ Kansas City – Chawinga (Prince)
80’ Kansas City – Debinha (Prince)
88’ San Diego – Carrasco

Kansas City Current Lineup: Schult, Rodriguez, Sharples, Cook (71’ Ballisager), Wheeler, LaBonta (c), Hutton (81′ Scott), DiBernardo (78’ Feist), Chawinga (71’ Debinha), Prince, Cooper (78’ Magaia)
Unused Substitutes: Franch, Steigleder, Ball, Jereko

San Diego Wave Lineup: Sheridan (c), Torpey, Girma, McNabb, Morroni, Colaprico (46’ Shaw), McCaskill (63’ Sanchez), Van Egmond, Cascarino, Jones (46’ Ali), Doniak (81’ Carusa)
Unused Substitutes: Westphal, Messner, Lundkvist, Bennett, Beall

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