* She is the first player in club history to reach the milestone and also by far the fastest player in NWSL history to reach the 30-goal mark
* Having done so in just 40 career regular season appearances – 11 games quicker than the previous record holder,Christen Press, 51 games
By Duncan Mlanjira
Malawi Scorchers striker, Temwa Chawinga has set for herself a new record of the US National Women Soccer League (NWSL) through the winning goal she scored late yesterday for Kansas City Current to beat Utah Royals FC 1-0.
A report by NWSL website indicates that Chawinga’s goal was her 10th of the 2025 regular season and her 30th career regular season goal.
Not only is she the first player in club history to reach the milestone, she is also by far the fastest player in NWSL history to reach the 30-goal mark, having done so in just 40 career regular season appearances – 11 games quicker than the previous record holder, Christen Press, 51 games.
The victory also extended Kansas City’s winning streak to eight consecutive matches, one shy of equaling the longest regular season winning streak in both franchise and NWSL history. Kansas City Current own that record of nine, set from October 2024 to April 2025.
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Chawinga’s game-winner was set up by defender Kayla Sharples, who notched her first career assist on the match-winning strike, and a strong defensive performance proved enough to see Kansas City over the line.
NWSL reports that in the 82nd minute, Kansas City Current finally broke through with a moment of brilliance from Chawinga. The move started in the back with Sharples, who fired a diagonal ball from near midfield that Chawinga raced towards.
Chawinga burst through Utah’s defense and picked the ball up off the bounce in the penalty area before deftly lobbing the ball over McGlynn and into the center of the goal.
Chawinga, who is now level with Gotham FC forward Esther González in the Golden Boot race with 10 goals, became the 15th player in NWSL history to reach the 30-goal milestone with one club.
It also marked Chawinga’s league-leading sixth game-winning goal of the season and 13th career game-winner, the latter which is tied for seventh-most in NWSL history for a single club.
Chawinga is also the first player in league history to score in five consecutive regular season road contests.
Meanwhile, Chawinga and Zambian international Barbra Banda are two Africans on the shortlist of 30 contenders for the Women’s Ballon d’Or Féminin 2025 that was unveiled on Thursday.
The Ballon d’Or, French for Golden Ball, is the most prestigious award a footballer could ever hope to earn, and the two Africans are joined by five other players from their league.
They are Barbra’s Orlando Pride teammate, Marta; Gotham FC’s Esther González and Washington Spirit’s Sofia Cantore while English Women’s Super League players dominate the list with eight representatives.
Arsenal leads the British charge with four nominees — Mariona Caldentey, Steph Catley, Emily Fox, Frida Leonhardsen Maanum, and Alessia Russo with Lucy Bronze, Sandy Baltimore, Hannah Hampton and Johanna Rytting Karneryd from Chelsea.
Spanish side FC Barcelona also has a strong presence with five nominees — reigning title holder Aitana Bonmati, Caroline Graham Hansen, Patri Guijarro, Ewa Pajor, Claudia Pina and Alexia Putellas. This Barcelona-heavy selection highlights the Catalan club’s ongoing dominance in European football.
The reigning Ballon d’Or Féminin winner, Bonmatí, is touted to well-placed to defend her crown as weak as her teammates who won the award in both 2023 and 2024 while Barbra stands out as the reigning Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women Player of the Year 2024 — with Temwa also coming in strong as the reigning NSWL Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Temwa makes the finalists after a sensational season with Kansas City Current in which the Malawian striker notched up 20 goals and 7 assists in 28 matches, also claiming the US and Mexico Summer Championships Cup.
Barbra makes the list after a standout campaign with Orlando Pirates tallying 17 goals and 4 assists in 35 appearances.
The two African players also makes the list of the Best of Best XI presented by Amazon Prime so far halfway through the US NWSL season having been consistent bright spots week to week.
According to NSWL, the monthly Best XI presented by Amazon Prime celebrates the performances of NWSL players in each position and recognises Temwa as a striker who is not slowing down: “She is on pace to be the fastest NWSL player to score 30 regular season goals, needing just one more to hit the milestone.
“With nine goals already this season, Chawinga is second in the Golden Boot race and has been a difference maker for Kansas City since her arrival last year.”
NSWL takes note of Barbra that with eight goals on the season, she “sits third in the Golden Boot race, but she’s earned Best XI honors three times already this season”.
“After scoring three goals for Zambia in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) during the summer break, expect Banda to continue her scoring ways in the back half of the season.”
Other players in the NSWL Best XI are centre back for Seattle Jordyn Bugg; Sam Coffey (Kit Tucks); Kenza Dali (San Diego); Debinha (Kansas City); reigning Golden Boot race leader with 10 goals, Esther González (Gotham FC); Lo’eau LaBonta (KC Baby); Lorena (Current City); Manaka Matsukubo (Cary) and North Carolina’s Ryan Williams.
The Ballon d’Or Féminin 2025 will be awarded on September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris after the nominations had been determined by France Football magazine’s editorial team, and then a panel of journalists from the top FIFA-ranked countries vote for the winner.
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