Current best Courage, Secure Spot in 2024 Summer Cup Finale

Kansas City Current advance to NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup Finale after besting North Carolina Courage, 2-0 at CPKC Stadium.

The Kansas City Current are on a roll in the NWSL v Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup Semifinal after wins over Houston Dash, Pachuca, and Tigres UANL. Tuesday evening – in a semifinal doubleheader at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, MO – the Current take on Carolina Courage for the right to play Gotham FC (1-0 victors over Angel City in the first match) in the final.

And the Current welcome back dynamic striker Temwa Chawinga. The Malawian has put in only 65 minutes in the tournament due to injury after registering 12 goals and six assists in the regular season. She will likely be a determining factor this evening. Coach Vlatko Andonovski filled out the rest of the starting eleven this way:

✨SEMIFINAL STARTERS✨@BlueKC | #KCBABY pic.twitter.com/1nH7D32cDO

— KC Current (@thekccurrent) August 7, 2024

The Current wasted no time. After Chawinga sliced and diced through the Courage defense for a chance in the first minute, she drove in from the right nary a minute later. Her ball in was mishandled by Courage goalkeeper Maris Bova after a disruption from KC’s Debinha. On the doorstep, Chewinga cleaned up what Bova could not and gave the Current the early lead much to the delight of the solid midweek crowd.

CHAWINGA JUST MAKING SURE YOU'RE ALL AWAKE!

Temwa Chawinga gets the lead started in the first 2 minutes 🤩@NWSL | #KCBABY pic.twitter.com/p9vmxFCZxp

— KC Current (@thekccurrent) August 7, 2024

Early action saw possession tilted towards Kansas City punctuated by some physical play from both sides. Kansas City continued the summer trend of high pressure in the first half, leaving little room for the Courage to make a mistake. The midfield trio of Hutton, LaBonta, and DiBarnardo seem to possess a sixth sense with their ability to predict Courage passing lanes, cut them off, win the ball back, and recycle an attack. This proved to allow Kansas City to keep the ball in North Carolina’s half, hardly allowing them to catch a break.

The first half saw Coach Andonovski debut an effective and noticeable change in tactics than what we’ve seen in the 2024 season so far as outside backs Ellie Wheeler and Hallie Mace were seemingly taking turns as to who would go 1v1 at the Courage defenders out wide and who would remain connected with Stine Ballisager and Alana Cook centrally. Cook, who started for just the second time tonight in Kansas City, looked smooth again in the first half, comfortably stepping up to make tackles and cut off passing lanes, allowing Ballisager to provide anchoring support. Much of Kansas City’s defensive success early in the season often hinged on Gabby Robinson’s (SEI) ability to step up off the backline and win the ball earlier than anticipated. With Ballisager and Ball showcasing similar defensive styles to this point in the season, it’s certainly possible that we could see Cook solidify herself as consistent starter for the Current alongside Ballisager or Ball.

The second half started off similarly to the first with Kansas City keeping the ball and predicting the game.

North Carolina were able to muster up a handful of solid attacks through consistent build-up play out of the back. Courage Captain and central midfielder Denise O’Sullivan looked sharp tonight, involving herself in most of North Carolina’s successes on both sides of the ball. The strongest look of the night for the Courage came in the 74th minute as midfielder Ashley Sanchez received the ball inside the box, spins Ballisager, quickly firing a shot to force an Franch save.

After a round of North Carolina substitutions, Kansas City quickly found themselves on the front foot again when Chawinga took a risk on a 50/50 bouncing ball at midfield, emerging through a tangle with the ball off her chest and onto her feet in what Current fans love to see most – a Temwa Chawinga breakway. After distancing herself from her first defender, she quickly cuts around the second, releasing a shot that is ultimately deflected laterally. But have no fear because Debinha is here! Firmly placing the ball in the back of the net, Debinha gave the Current the 2-0 lead in the 79th minute and CPKC Stadium erupted.

DEBINHA SWEEPING IN TO FINISH

Deb gets the goal to put KC ahead 2-0! 👩‍🍳🤌@nwsl | #KCBABY pic.twitter.com/leteQGpgpf

— KC Current (@thekccurrent) August 7, 2024

Kansas City Current substitutions tonight featured Alexa Spaanstra for Debinha, Kristen Hamilton for Temwa Chawinga, Bayley Feist for Vanessa DiBernardo, and Regan Steigleder for Michelle Cooper.

Kansas City looked great tonight. Between Temwa Chawinga, Debinha, and Michelle Cooper – the ability to relentelesly attack posession after posession proves challenging for any team, no matter the defense.

It leaves much to be desired for in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup finale as Kansas City will travel to San Antonio, TX to take on the tight defense of the NJ/NY Gotham FC on October 25th at 6:30pm CST. Gotham enters the championship game not allowing a single goal in the Summer Cup and boasts a second place standing the NWSL for goals against.