Match Preview: Kansas City Current close out 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup with championship match against NJ/NY Gotham FC

KANSAS CITY (Oct. 24, 2024) –– The Kansas City Current (4-0-0, 1st seed) travel to San Antonio, Texas Friday to put a bow on the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, as the Current face off against NJ/NY Gotham FC (3-0-1, 2nd seed) in the championship match. Friday’s showdown kicks off at 7 p.m. CT from Toyota Field and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with JP Dellacamera, Jill Loyden and Jenny Chiu on the call. Fans in Kansas City can listen to Dave Borchardt and Jillian Carroll Letrinko call the action on 90.9 The Bridge and in English, Spanish and Portuguese on the KC Current App.

Kansas City enters Friday’s championship riding a positive run of form, extending its NWSL regular season unbeaten streak to seven matches after downing the San Diego Wave 4-1 last Saturday at CPKC Stadium. Forward Michelle Cooper opened the scoring for the Current in the 22nd minute, and Kansas City took a 2-0 lead into halftime following a San Diego own goal nine minutes after Cooper’s opening strike. The Current continued piling on the goals in the second half. Forward Temwa Chawinga extended her league-record with her 20th goal of the season in the 54th minute, becoming the first player in NWSL history to score against all 13 teams in a single season. Midfielder Debinha rounded out the scoring in the 80th minute. Last Saturday’s match marked the final regular season home contest of the 2024 campaign for the Current.

Gotham FC, like the Current, are also unbeaten in all competitions since Sept. 1. Last weekend, Gotham FC maintained its third place standing on the NWSL table with a 3-1 home victory over the Orlando Pride. Midfielder Rose Lavelle broke a 1-1 deadlock in first-half stoppage time with a go-ahead goal and forward Ella Stevens doubled the lead minutes into the second half. Across all competitions, Gotham FC is unbeaten in its last 11 matches entering Friday’s championship.

Little separated Kansas City and Gotham FC when the sides met in regular season play. Both regular season meetings between the sides ended in 1-1 draws, the most recent of which came Sept. 28 at CPKC Stadium. Chawinga scored the lone goal of the contest for the Current in the 52nd minute, which brought the match level after Gotham FC took the lead on a Kansas City own goal in the first half. The Current and Gotham FC have played to a draw in their last three NWSL regular season meetings, which could set the table for a tight championship match Friday night.

SUMMER CUP REFRESH
Friday’s NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup Final caps a journey that began in July for both the Current and Gotham FC. The Current featured in Group C alongside the Houston Dash and Liga MX Femenil sides Pachuca and Tigres UANL. Of the five groups, Kansas City’s group was the only to feature multiple Liga MX Femenil sides. Gotham FC, meanwhile, featured in Group D alongside the Chicago Red Stars, Washington Spirit and Liga MX Femenil side Chivas Guadalajara.

The Current opened the tournament with a 3-1 victory over the Houston Dash July 20 at CPKC Stadium, then remained at home for its final two group stage matches against international opposition. Kansas City rounded out group stage play with a pair of resounding victories against Liga MX Femenil clubs, beating Pachuca 3-0 July 27 and Tigres UANL 4-1 Aug. 1. The Current’s perfect group stage run allowed the club to advance to the semifinal round Aug. 6, which was also held at CPKC Stadium. There, the Current advanced to the championship match with a 2-0 victory over the North Carolina Courage.

Debinha notched her fourth goal of the competition in the Current’s semifinal victory against the Courage, and she enters the championship match tied with Club Tijuana’s Aisha Solórzano for the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Golden Boot. She scored in each of the Current’s final three matches of the competition, starting with a brace against Pachuca July 27.

Gotham FC, meanwhile, began the competition with a scoreless draw against the Chicago Red Stars July 20. As no group stage matches could end in a draw, the sides went to a penalty shootout to determine which side would earn an additional point. Gotham FC won the shootout 5-4, then picked up its first win of group stage play July 28 with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit. Gotham FC topped Group D with a 3-0 victory over Chivas Guadalajara, which sent the club through to the semifinal round against Angel City FC. In the first match of a doubleheader at CPKC Stadium, Gotham FC earned a 1-0 win against Angel City FC to advance to the championship match. Gotham FC has yet to concede a goal in summer cup play.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kansas City Current defender Izzy Rodriguez –– Kansas City defender Izzy Rodriguez made her 18th start of the 2024 NWSL regular season last Saturday against San Diego and made a significant impact, helping set up the Current’s second goal of the contest. In the 31st minute, Rodriguez latched onto a forward pass from fellow defender Ellie Wheeler and, from the left wing, Rodriguez served a deep cross to the back post. Rodriguez’s cross fell to Cooper, who was completely free at the back post, and she lobbed a shot from an acute angle that Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan batted into her own net. Rodriguez has created plenty of chances for the Current from both open play and set pieces, leading the team with 12 chances created from set pieces so far in 2024. She also has created 25 chances from open play, the fourth-highest total on the team. Rodriguez has two assists in regular season play and notched an assist in summer cup action, assisting midfielder Claire Hutton’s first professional goal in the Current’s 4-1 victory over Tigres UANL Aug. 1.

Gotham FC goalkeeper Cassie Miller –– With Gotham FC starting goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger unavailable for Friday’s final due to international duty, goalkeeper Cassie Miller is expected to feature as the club’s starting goalkeeper Friday night. Miller has been Gotham FC’s primary goalkeeper in the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, starting two of the club’s three group stage matches and Gotham FC’s semifinal victory over Angel City FC. Miller’s three shutouts lead all goalkeepers in the competition entering Friday’s championship, and the former Kansas City Current netminder has made nine saves in her three total appearances for Gotham FC in the tournament.

INTERNATIONAL ROUNDUP
The Kansas City Current is well-represented on the global stage during the ongoing October FIFA International Break, which formally began Oct. 21 and runs through Oct. 30. Defender Hailie Mace (United States), defender Stine Ballisager Pedersen (Denmark), forward Nichelle Prince (Canada) and forward Hildah Magaia (South Africa) are all currently on international duty. All four joined their national teams following last Saturday’s match against the Wave.

Mace, who has eight caps for the U.S. Women’s National Team, will look to earn her first appearance for the USWNT since November 2022 against Germany as the squad plays a trio of friendlies. The USWNT’s first match of the window is against Iceland Thursday, Oct. 24 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas at 6:30 p.m. CT (on TBS, Max, Universo and Peacock). The sides then square off again Sunday, Oct. 27 at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tenn (TNT, truTV, Max, Universo and Peacock) at 4:30 p.m. CT. The USWNT rounds out the window Wednesday, Oct. 30 against Argentina at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Ky. in a match that kicks off at 6 p.m. CT (on TNT, Universo, truTV, Max and Peacock).

Prince and Canada will travel to Europe to face Spain, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Champions. The match against Spain is Canada’s lone match of the window and will be played Friday, Oct. 25 at 1:45 p.m. CT.

Ballisager will join her Danish teammates for a pair of friendlies in her home country. First up is a match against Kansas City teammate Magaia and South Africa Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. CT at Blue Water Arena in Esbjerg, Denmark. From there the team will travel to Aalborg, Denmark to host the Netherlands Oct. 29 at 12 p.m. CT in Aalborg Portland Arena.

After squaring off against Ballisager and Denmark Oct. 25, Magaia and the Banyana Banyana will travel to Coventry, United Kingdom for a match against England Oct. 29. The contest is set to kick off at 2:45 p.m. CT at Coventry Building Society Arena.

Gotham FC will be similarly shorthanded for Friday’s championship match due to the international break. Gotham FC will be without defender Jess Carter (England), midfielder Rose Lavelle (United States), defender Jenna Nighswonger (United States), midfielder Yazmeen Ryan (United States), midfielder Emily Sonnett (United States) and forward Lynn Williams (United States) against the Current.

TEMWA’S 20
Chawinga’s historic debut season continued last weekend against San Diego, as the NWSL single season scoring record holder notched her 20th goal of the 2024 NWSL regular season. Not only did Chawinga become the first NWSL player to score 20 goals in a single season, but she also became the first player to score against all 13 other teams in a single season.

The Malawi international has all-but secured the 2024 NWSL Golden Boot, with a seven-goal lead over Orlando’s Barbra Banda with just one regular season match remaining and is a frontrunner for the NWSL MVP thanks to her stellar 2024 season. Chawinga has six assists to go along with her historic goal tally and has contributed plenty on the defensive end, with nine total interceptions and 28 tackles won. Her 26 Goal Contributions this season are also an NWSL single season record. Chawinga has also won possession 35 times in the final third of the pitch and 142 times overall.

Chawinga’s record-setting season and all-around contributions to the Current’s success has placed her squarely in the NWSL MVP conversation. She is all-but certain to become the first player in Current franchise history to take home the NWSL Golden Boot and could become the first player in Current franchise history to win an NWSL MVP award while with the club.

IT’S (ALMOST) TEAL TIME
Kansas City wrapped up its 2024 NWSL regular season home slate at CPKC Stadium last weekend, but the Current are guaranteed at least one home playoff match at CPKC Stadium in the 2024 NWSL Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel. Monday, the NWSL announced the dates, time and hosts venues for all four quarterfinal round matches.

The Current will host the first home playoff match in club history Saturday, Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. CT. The match will air live on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+. Kansas City’s opponent for the historic playoff match will be determined following the final weekend of NWSL regular season play, Nov. 1-3. The expanded eight-team quarterfinal round begins Friday, Nov. 8 on Prime Video at 7 p.m. CT as the No. 1 seed Orlando Pride hosts the to-be-determined No. 8 seed at Inter&Co Stadium.

Season Ticket Members currently have priority access to purchase tickets. Current Club Members early access window to tickets will begin Monday, Oct. 28.

AVAILABILITY REPORT
OUT: Alex Pfeiffer (SEI-knee), Gabrielle Robinson (SEI-knee), Mallory Weber (SEI - knee), Bia Zaneratto (foot)
QUESTIONABLE: Kristen Hamilton (leg)
INTERNATIONAL: Stine Ballisager Pedersen (DEN), Hailie Mace (USA), Hildah Magaia (RSA), Nichelle Prince (CAN)