KC Current in 4th place after 2-0 win in Utah

With three games remaining in the regular season, every three points available are crucial to the Kansas City Current climbing the NWSL standings. With a win against Utah Royals FC, the Current would reach fourth place, the lowest seed needed to host a quarterfinal in November. The win would also mark only the fourth time Kansas City left an away game with a victory.

A header goal by Haley Hopkins in the 21st minute gave Kansas City the lead after a corner kick. The goal was Hopkins’ 10th of the season and the only goal of the first half.

The corner from Vanessa DiBernardo 🤌The header from Haley Hopkins 🤩

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2026-10-17T23:05:22.885Z

Kansas City had an opportunity to close out the half and double the lead. In stoppage time, Vanessa DiBenardo intercepted a poorly taken Utah corner kick and sent a ball into space to Temwa Chawinga. Only Mandy McGlynn stood between Chawinga and the goal. Chawinga went around McGlynn and appeared ready to easily put the ball in the net, but her shot had too much power, and it hit the crossbar instead, bouncing back into play.

That’s not how the Utah Royals drew that corner up…

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2026-10-17T23:34:29.283Z

While Utah maintained the majority of possession in the first half (53%), Kansas City had the edge with an xG of 1.44 to the Royals’ .069. Defensively, Kansas City held Utah from creating the final touch in the box, and Lorena stepped up to make three key saves.

Utah continued to control possession in the second half, but Kansas City remained the most dangerous team likely to score again and was overall the better team, keeping Utah to only three touches in the Current’s box. Kansas City had 12 touches in the Utah box, putting pressure on the Royals’ defense (six shots, three on target) and breaking them on several occasions, even on a couple of calls that were called offside, denying the Current until the 91st minute.

A breakaway by Chawinga from the midfield put her in position to score her first of the game, but she passed to Hopkins, who scored on a one-touch and gave Kansas City the goal they needed to close out the match with a 2-0 win.

⚽️💥 Chawinga and Hopkins on the breakaway…you know how this ends❗️ Hopkins gets her brace and 11th goal of the season!

— KC Current (@kansascitycurrent.bsky.social) 2026-10-18T00:30:14.480Z