Match Preview: Kansas City Current open 2025 regular season against Portland Thorns

KANSAS CITY (March 14, 2025) — The Kansas City Current make its highly anticipated return to CPKC Stadium Saturday morning to open the 2025 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Regular Season, as the Current battle the Portland Thorns in the season opener for both squads. Saturday’s contest kicks off at 11:45 a.m. CT and will be nationally broadcast on ABC, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes with Jenn Hildreth and Lianne Sanderson on the call. Fans in Kansas City can listen to Dave Borchardt and Jillian Carroll Letrinko call the action on 90.9 The Bridge or on the KC Current App in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

The Current enter the 2025 campaign looking to build on a historic, record-setting foundation established in 2024, which marked head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s first season at the helm. Last season, the Current opened the first stadium in the world purpose-built for a women’s professional sports team, set franchise single-season records in wins (16), total points (55) and shutouts (9), broke an NWSL record for total goals in a season (57) and took home both the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup and The Women’s Cup. Kansas City finished the 2024 season in fourth place on the NWSL table and took down the North Carolina Courage 1-0 in the NWSL quarterfinal round, which marked the first-ever postseason match held at CPKC Stadium.

Portland returns 13 players from a 2024 squad that finished in sixth place on the NWSL table, capped by an appearance in the NWSL quarterfinal round. The Thorns ultimately fell 2-1 against NJ/NY Gotham FC to end its 2024 campaign, and posted a 10-12-4 record in regular season play. One notable absence from the Thorns’ cast of returners is forward Sophia Wilson, who scored three goals across both matchups between the Current and Thorns in 2024. Wilson announced her pregnancy March 5 and is not on the Thorns’ active roster for the 2025 season. Defender Becky Sauerbrunn, who played the most regular season minutes of any Thorns player in 2024, and forward Christine Sinclair also announced their respective retirements from professional soccer following the end of the 2024 campaign.

ALLOW US TO REINTRODUCE OURSELVES
Led by 2024 NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga, the Current return all 10 outfield players who started Kansas City’s aforementioned NWSL semifinal match against the Pride. Still, the club retooled its roster with several notable offseason acquisitions.  

The Current welcomed nine new faces to the opening day roster in 2025, led by a brand-new goalkeeping room. Brazilian international and 2024 Olympic Silver Medalist Lorena, signed in December 2024, leads the unit after being acquired from Brazilian club Grêmio. The goalkeeping unit is supported by experienced NWSL goalkeeper Laurel Ivory, who was most recently with the Seattle Reign and pitched a shutout of the potent Current offense with Seattle last season, and former University of North Carolina netminder Clare Gagne. Gagne won the 2024 NCAA College Cup with the Tar Heels last season and was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the tournament.  

Gagne was one of three signings the club made directly from the collegiate ranks in the offseason. Forward Mary Long, who spent 2024 at Duke, and former Penn State defender Katie Scott were signed by the Current in early January. All three players are awaiting their professional debut in 2025.  

Midfielder Rocky Rodríguez and forward Haley Hopkins bring both extensive NWSL experience and depth to the Current’s roster. Rodríguez, an NWSL veteran, most recently featured in over 1,000 regular season minutes for Angel City FC in 2024. Hopkins, meanwhile, was a regular starter for the North Carolina Courage and totaled three goals and one assist in NWSL regular season play for the Courage last season.  

Angolan international attached Flora Marta Lacho signed a two-year contract with the Current, the club announced Wednesday, providing an already-lethal offensive attack with another dynamic talent. Lacho most recently played for TP Mazembe, a club in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She helped the club win its first continental title as the club won the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League, and Lacho was named Woman of the Match on three separate occasions throughout her team’s five-match run in the event. Marta Lacho is the first Angolan international in both NWSL and Kansas City Current history.  

And, of course, the Current return a familiar cast of players. Midfielder and team captain Lo’eau LaBonta will once again anchor the midfield, mid-season acquisitions Kayla Sharples and Alana Cook will look to continue their partnership at the heart of Kansas City’s defense and Chawinga leads a dynamic attack that features midfielder Debinha and forwards Michelle Cooper and Nichelle Prince. The club expects forward Bia Zaneratto, who remains on the SEI list with a foot injury, to be cleared and ready to play soon. Kansas City returns just over 91% of its offensive production from the club’s record-setting 57-goal season in 2024.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kansas City Current midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo –– Midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo enjoyed one of the best seasons of her professional career in 2024 and will once again feature as a centerpiece in the heart of the Current’s midfield. Last season, DiBernardo scored five goals, including the distinction of scoring the first-ever goal at CPKC Stadium and recorded a team-high six assists. She was named a finalist for NWSL Midfielder of the Year and holds the Current’s franchise record for NWSL regular season assists (8). DiBernardo also enters the 2025 season with 14,973 career NWSL regular season minutes played, inching her closer to an exclusive group of NWSL players. With 27 more minutes played, DiBernardo will become just the 11th player in NWSL history to play 15,000 career regular season minutes.

Portland Thorns forward Deyna Castellanos –– Another new face for the Thorns in 2025, forward Deyna Castellanos was acquired in the offseason and figures to lead Portland’s attack in Wilson’s absence. Castellanos spent the 2024 season at Bay FC and recorded two goals and one assist in 25 matches across all competitions. The Venezuelan international also boasts international pedigree, beginning her professional career with Atlético de Madrid and scoring 26 goals and 12 assists in 71 matches for the club, including leading Atlético to the 2021 Supercopa de España Femenina. Castellanos spent 2022-2024 with Manchester City before making the move to the NWSL prior to the start of last season. Internationally, Castellanos is the captain of the Venezuelan Women’s National Team.

DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN
It’s fitting that nearly one year to the date that CPKC Stadium opened to worldwide fanfare on March 16, 2024, the Current and Thorns are once again set to meet in the first match of the regular season.

Early-season meetings between Kansas City and Portland have become an unofficial NWSL trend, as Saturday’s contest will mark the fourth time in franchise history that the Current start its season against the Thorns. The first official match in Kansas City Current history came against Portland in the 2021 Challenge Cup and the sides began the 2022 regular season against each other. Including Saturday’s match, Portland has been the Current’s first home opponent in the last three NWSL regular seasons.

The Current swept the regular season series against Portland for the first time in franchise history last season. Kansas City kicked off the season with a thrilling 5-4 victory over Portland at CPKC Stadium and earned a dominant 4-1 victory at Portland June 23. The Thorns lead the all-time regular season series 4-3-2.

CPKC STADIUM’S ENCORE
Sunday marks CPKC Stadium’s first birthday and, in its first year of existence, the Current and the club’s loyal fans have turned the venue into both one of the most intimidating places to play in the NWSL and a world-class destination for both soccer and non-soccer fans alike.

In 2024, the Current sold out all 13 NWSL regular season home matches at CPKC Stadium, becoming the first team in NWSL history to do so. Across all competitions, Kansas City posted a 15-1-2 home record and enters 2025 with an 11-match home unbeaten streak, which includes successful summer runs in the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup and The Women’s Cup.

CPKC Stadium also received worldwide recognition for both its position in the sports landscape and commitment to sustainability. In July 2024, CPKC Stadium was featured in Time’s Annual List of the World’s Greatest places and the venue became the first LEED Gold Certified Stadium in Missouri in November of last year. The venue has also earned the right to host several high-profile events in its first year of existence, like the 2024 NWSL Championship, the 2024 Big 12 Women’s Soccer Championship, the 2025 MexTour W (April 2025) and the Premier Lacrosse League’s 2025 All-Star Weekend (July 4th weekend).

HOME OPENER, PRESENTED BY CPKC
After three months away, the Current are back in action at CPKC Stadium. Celebrate the start of the 2025 regular season with the best fans in the NWSL as the Current square off against the Portland Thorns on ABC, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes at 11:45am CT. The 2025 Home Opener, presented by CPKC, comes nearly one year to the date that the Current opened CPKC Stadium to worldwide fanfare in 2024 with a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Thorns. Fans in attendance will receive an exclusive 2025 Home Opener giveaway item upon leaving the stadium.

PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION NOTICE
Fans attending Saturday’s match are encouraged to arrive early to avoid potential delays. CPKC Stadium gates will open at 9:45 a.m. CT. Due to the city’s ongoing KC Streetcar construction on the Grand Boulevard Bridge, matchday parking and transportation will be affected.

On-site parking for the home opener at CPKC Stadium is sold out. Parking passes will not be available for purchase on-site, and fans without a prepaid parking pass will be directed to off-site options. Fans with prepaid parking passes purchased can access on-site parking lots at CPKC Stadium three hours prior to kickoff, beginning at 8:45 a.m. CT for Saturday’s match. To ensure a smooth on-site parking experience, please have your parking pass displayed on your mobile device upon arrival.

The Current continues to offer a free matchday shuttle service to fans. The shuttle location at 7th & Main will be the only operating location for shuttles. The Current will not operate the 2nd & Grand location until streetcar construction is completed on the Grand Blvd. Bridge in Spring 2025. Shuttle buses will pick-up and drop-off fans at this location on matchday two-and-a-half hours before kickoff, beginning at 9:15 a.m., and the last shuttle will operate two hours after the end of the match.

The Current encourages fans looking to use the shuttle service to park in lots near the 7th & Main shuttle location. Only parking lots at CPKC Stadium are owned and operated by KC Current. For more information, visit the CPKC Stadium Transportation Hub.

AVAILABILITY REPORT
OUT: Gabrielle Robinson (SEI – Knee), Alex Pfeiffer (SEI – Knee), Bia Zaneratto (SEI – Foot), Regan Steigleder (Head), Kristen Hamilton (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE: Hailie Mace (Knee)
INTERNATIONAL DUTY: NONE

Limited single-match tickets for 2025 regular season home matches are now on sale to the general public. The best way to ensure you won’t miss a second of the action at CPKC Stadium is by joining the Current Club, the Current’s trailblazing fan membership experience. Focused on ensuring fans continue to be able to access exclusive opportunities, members can unlock special benefits like priority access to single match tickets, members-only gifts and discounts, access to live and virtual events, exclusive content and more. 2025 Season Ticket Member Account Holders are already enrolled in Current Club at no additional cost. Click  HERE for more information about the Current Club.

About the Kansas City Current
Founded in December 2020, the Kansas City Current is led by the ownership group of Angie Long, Chris Long, Brittany Mahomes and Patrick Mahomes. The team competes in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The Kansas City Current plays its home matches at CPKC Stadium, first stadium purpose-built for a professional women’s sports team. Named The Most Ambitious NWSL Club for two consecutive seasons by ESPN, the Current finished the 2024 regular season fourth on the NWSL table. To receive updates on the Current visit kansascitycurrent.com.