Kansas City Current remains undefeated after rain-delayed draw in Houston

HOUSTON (May 5, 2024) — The Kansas City Current (5-0-2, 17 pts.) remain near the top of the NWSL table with a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dash (1-3-3, 6 pts.) at Shell Energy Stadium. Kicking off a stretch of three games in eight days, KC looked to keep their momentum going on a rainy and cloudy day in Houston. Forward Temwa Chawinga scored her fifth goal of the season and midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo continues her MVP worthy season with a league-leading and new club record fifth assist.

“I’m very proud of the group,” said Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski. “I thought that we played a good game. I thought we played some quality soccer, we created opportunities, we broke them down different ways. At the end, it is what it is.”

In the teal and white secondary kits for the first time this seasons, Kansas City dominated possession throughout the first half at 56 percent, with 14 shots and seven on goal. In the eighth minute defender Hailie Mace saw space and took the ball from the half line. Slicing through the defense, Mace took a shot on goal near the top of the box, but Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell made the first of her 12 saves to deny Mace.

In the 10th minute Chawinga connected on a cross to forward Alexa Spaanstra who tried to squeeze it through a small opening on the near side post, but Campbell made a good reaction save to keep the match scoreless. Another chance came in the 15th minute from midfielder Claire Hutton who took a one-touch, long-range shot from the top of the box, but once again Campbell made a diving save to the far post. The former U.S. Women’s national team goalkeeper tallied six saves in the first half for Houston.

Kansas City converted in the 24th minute thanks to a left-footed cross from DiBernardo to Chawinga. Despite not hitting her shot clean, the Malawian forward got just enough on her shot for it to cross the goal line and give the Current the 1-0 lead.

Chawinga has contributed to at least one goal in six of her first seven career NWSL matches which makes her only the third player in league history to do so. DiBernardo’s fifth assist leads the league and marks a new club record for the Current.

The Current went into halftime with a 1-0 lead only to be met with a rain delay before returning to the pitch about four hours later.

In the 71st minute Dash forward Amanda West converted a loose ball that bounced off the far post and into the back of the KC net for the equalizer, 1-1.

Chawinga took a ball coast-to-coast in the 78th minute to find Debinha who drew out the Houston goalkeeper and tapped it back to her. Chawinga’s shot shaved just shy of a goal as a Houston defender slid in for the save.

Kansas City’s next stop on a three-game road trip this week send the club to Seattle to play the Reign Wednesday, May 8 at 9 p.m. CT on KMCI, 38 the Spot and NWSL+. Fans at home can listen along on 90.9 The Bridge and on the KC Current App.

NWSL Match Report
Match: Houston Dash vs. Kansas City Current
Date: May 5, 2024
Venue: Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, TX 
Kickoff: 12:11 pm CT
Weather: 77 degrees, cloudy
Attendance: 5,099

Discipline
61’ Houston – Bachmann (Yellow)
74’ Houston – HC Alonso (Yellow)

Scoring
24’ Kansas City – Chawinga (DiBernardo)
71’ Houston - West

Scoring Summary

Houston Dash Lineup: Campbell ©, Jacobs, Nielsen, Peterson, Ordonez, Nagasato (46’ Olivieri), West (84’ Alozie), Hirst (63’ Andressa), Bachmann, Patterson, Rubensson
Unused Substitutes: Puntigam, Hinz, Briede, Soto, Ayson, Harris

Kansas City Current Lineup: Mace (69’ Wheeler), Chawinga, Ball, Hutton, DiBernardo (67’ Debinha), Rodriguez, Franch ©, Feist (46’ LaBonta), Robinson, Spaanstra (82’ Pfeiffer), Lavogez (67’ Cooper)
Unused Substitutes: Steigleder, Prince, Ballisager, Silkowitz