* The move on the standings is a huge push for the club who risked missing out of the NWSL 2026 playoff spot after their 0-2 loss to San Dieg Wave a fortnight ago
By Duncan Mlanjira
Malawi international Temwa Chawinga scored the 5th goal when her Kansas City (KC) Current thrashed Bay FC 5-1 yesterday to move to 5th place of the US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) log table.
Advertisement
The move on the standings is a huge push for the club who risked missing out of the NWSL 2026 playoff spot after their 0-2 loss to San Dieg Wave a fortnight ago.
They thus needed to collect 7 points in their next three home games and in their next match last weekend by beating Denver Summit 4-1 in which Temwa played a pivotalwhen she made an assist and also scored.
The result yesterday thus vaulted KC Current to 5th from the 8th they occupied three matchdays away.
KC Current Media reports that Temwa added the fifth goal in the 89th minute “with a patented breakaway finish on a Kansas City counterattack”.
“Midfielder Rocky Rodríguez sprung Chawinga ahead with a long ball from inside the Current’s own penalty area, playing Chawinga in behind the Bay FC defence.
“Chawinga met the ball near midfield and broke away from there, capping the forward run by calmly rounding Silkowitz and rolling a composed finish into a vacated net.
“On a night where Chawinga became the eighth player in franchise history to reach 5,000 regular season minutes played for the club, she earned her 12th goal of the regular season and 47th of her regular season career.
“Chawinga has now scored in each of her first five matches against Bay FC, equaling a record set by Alex Morgan as the only players in NWSL history to score a goal in each of their first five matches against a single opponent.”
The report says midfielder Debinha “stole the show in the victory, notching a trio of second-half goals to put the Current ahead after Bay FC opened the scoring in the fourth minute”.
“Forward Haley Hopkins equalised in the 24th minute to cap a chaotic sequence in front of the visitors’ goal, and the 1-1 deadlock stood as the halftime whistle sounded.
“Debinha put the Current ahead for good in the 46th minute, curling a shot from the top of the 18-yard box off the right post and in, then steered a header off the same post for a goal in the 53rd minute that gave Kansas City a two-goal lead.
“Debinha completed her hat trick in the 75th minute, rising to meet a cross from forward Amelia White and heading it over the line.”
Advertisement