* In 40 minutes against Gotham on a sunny but brisk Saturday afternoon, Chawinga — the two-time reigning MVP of the National Women’s Soccer League — saw just 10 touches
* Yet she created two goal-scoring opportunities, including an assist, and that was welcome stuff for a KC side that came in on a three-game losing streak
By Cindy Lara, KC Soccer Journal & Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star
Temwa Chawinga’s return to action from a season-ending injury attained in October, brought a spark to struggling Kansas City Current, a team that desperately needed one — and some home cooking helped, too on Saturday afternoon at CPKC Stadium when they came from behind to beat reigning National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) champions, Gotham FC 2-1.
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After a rough road trip that included three losses in Chicago, Seattle, and Portland in about a week, Saturday’s victory should boost the Current’s mood ahead of next week’s Teal Rising Cup.
In 40 minutes against Gotham FC, Chawinga — the two-time reigning NWSL Most Valuable Player (MVP) — saw just 10 touches, yet she created two goal-scoring opportunities, including an assist, and that was welcome stuff for a KC side coming in on a three-game losing streak.
The Current seemed to carry Chawinga’s energy into the second half, defending home turf with the 2-1 win, a return to action, which was warmly welcomed by KC head coach Chris Armas: “It is great to have her back, great debut of the season for her. It’s a positive step for her and means a lot to us.”
A return to CPKC Stadium may just be what the Kansas City Current needed after the 0-3 road trip with losses and went into the game at 1-3, having won their opening league campaign.
Their 13th place have not reflected their 2025 selves, but their opponent, Gotham FC (1-1-2/10th place), have also struggled to look like the team that won the NWSL Championship.
For the Current, the big news of the week was the announcement that two-time MVP Temwa Chawinga had been removed from the season-ending injury list after suffering a lower-body injury back in October in Houston.
It’s a return that had been greatly anticipated, as the Current’s attack has been pretty much non-existent and coach Armas may have had his strongest starting XI available against the team that knocked Kansas City out of the playoffs last season. But with the return of Chawinga in the wing, Croix Bethune and Lo’eau LaBonta made up that defensive midfield for Kansas City — However, for the fourth time this season, the Current conceded the first goal in the first half.
“It’s never the intention to concede first,” Armas said. “It’s really difficult when you go down, emotionally.” But no matter, because that’s when the Current — and Chawinga — took over. The 27-year-old was electric, contributing heavily on both ends of the field.
She likely mis-hit teammate Michelle Cooper’s cross, but it turned into a perfect pass for Debinha for the Brazilian to put away a goal with ease, leveling the match in the 37th minute.
What Kansas City had been unable to do all season was score in the first half, but their attack in this game was finding openings, especially on the right side towards Michelle Cooper.
Usually, when a player is on a minutes restriction (following injury — as was the case with Chawinga), a team will keep that player on the pitch through halftime, so as not to waste one of its three allotted substitution windows per match.
But coach Armas removed Chawinga at the 40-minute mark. Later, the coach cited her workload — he didn’t want to push her past the parameters they had set. And the Current’s pace was relentless after halftime, pinning back Gotham and creating multiple turnovers.
Michelle Cooper soon gave the host team the lead. Gotham’s Emily Sonnet tried to delay a restart by KC’s Izzy Rodriguez, leaving the visitors’ back-line out of position and that created a gap for Cooper on the right side of the field.
Rodriguez’s long free kick made its way to Ally Sentnor, who dished to Cooper for her to dribble toward the goal and unleashed a low, driven shot into the far corner.
“The way this team shows up every day, the belief they have in each other, the commitment to what we ask every day — going down a goal, to come back once again to defend this fortress; to give it to the fans and to themselves – just makes a coach really proud,” said coach Armas.—Editing by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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