August 25, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Kansas City Current News Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Kansas City Current (10-2-5, 35pts., 3rd place) returned to NWSL play on Sunday afternoon in the nation’s Capital, falling 4-1 against the Washington Spirit (12-4-1, 37pts., 2nd place) Sunday afternoon at Audi Field. Washington scored twice inside the first 15 minutes of the contest to take a lead it ultimately would not relinquish. Current forward Temwa Chawinga scored her league-high 13th goal of the season, which puts her in sole possession of first place in the NWSL’s Golden Boot race, for Kansas City’s lone goal of the contest.
“Every loss hurts, but this team, in some ways, needed a little bit of adversity,” said head coach Vlatko Andonovski. “Obviously, we didn’t want to lose, but if this is the adversity we need to come out of, it’s a great test for us. Now, we have a chance next week to showcase where we’re at and how we’re going to get back from this.”
Sunday’s match marked the first NWSL contest for the Current in 50 days, as well as Kansas City’s first road match in just over two months. Both sides started quickly as the match got off to an energetic start, but the Spirit opened the scoring in the ninth minute. Washington midfielder Paige Metayer ran nearly the length of the pitch to break the deadlock, capping the run with a low strike into the back of the net.
Five minutes later, Washington doubled its advantage. The Spirit capitalized on a loose ball in midfield, and midfielder Croix Bethune drove forward at the Current’s net before sliding a ball through to forward Ouleymata Sarr. Sarr finished the chance to give the Spirit a 2-0 lead.
Still, the Current generated plenty of opportunities in the opening frame and throughout the match. Kansas City outshot Washington 14-7 in Sunday’s contest and recorded its first shot on goal in the 27th minute, when Chawinga got on the end of a long through ball and fired a shot that Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury snared.
Late in the first half, the Current nearly got on the board with a volleyed effort from midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo that struck the crossbar, but Washington maintained its 2-0 lead as the halftime whistle sounded.
Washington added its third goal of the contest in the early stages of the second half. Metayer slid a ball through for forward Trinity Rodman, who curled a strike into the back of the net to put the Spirit ahead by three goals.
Kansas City continued to push…