Match Preview: Kansas City Current wraps up regular season play with road tilt against Chicago Red Stars

KANSAS CITY (Nov. 1, 2024) –– The Kansas City Current (15-7-3, 52pts., 4th place) close out the 2024 NWSL regular season on the road Sunday against the Chicago Red Stars (10-2-13, 32pts., 6th place). Sunday’s match kicks off at 2 p.m. CT from SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN, 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 listen in English, Spanish or Portuguese on the KC Current App.

Kansas City enters the regular season finale fresh off a championship, as the Current took home the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup last Friday in San Antonio, Texas. The Current earned a 2-0 victory over NJ/NY Gotham FC thanks to a first-half brace from forward Temwa Chawinga, set up by two assists from midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta. Goalkeeper Almuth Schult earned the shutout in net to cap a strong defensive performance in the championship match. The Current limited Gotham FC to just one shot on goal in the commanding two-goal victory. As the championship was held during the October FIFA International Break, which formally ended Oct. 30, the Current and Gotham FC were the lone NWSL teams in action last weekend.

The Red Stars were last in action Oct. 20, when Chicago fell 2-0 in a road tilt against the Washington Spirit. The Red Stars have clinched a playoff position entering the final weekend of the regular season, having secured a spot Oct. 13. As a result, Sunday’s contest could feasibly be a postseason preview based on how the final regular season matches shake out. Chicago could finish in either sixth, seventh or eighth place on the final NWSL table.

The first regular season meeting between the sides came back in June at CPKC Stadium, where a 90th minute goal from Red Stars defender Sam Staab salvaged a point for the visitors in a 2-2 draw. Forward Mallory Swanson opened the scoring for Chicago in the 5th minute, but the Current raced back to take a 2-1 lead behind second-half goals from forward Bia Zaneratto and Chawinga. At the time, the draw extended the Current’s club-record unbeaten streak to 15 matches.

END ON A HIGH NOTE
The Current are hoping to close the 2024 NWSL regular season on a high note while hopefully continuing the club’s positive run of form. Since losing 2-1 against the North Carolina Courage Sept. 1, the Current have ripped off an eight-match unbeaten streak across all competitions. Kansas City’s unbeaten streak is currently seven matches in NWSL play.

All told, the 2024 campaign has been historic for the Current. Kansas City enters the regular season finale already holding franchise single season records for wins (15), goals (54), total points (52) and shutouts (9). With a goal Sunday against the Red Stars, the Current would set an NWSL single-season team scoring record. Entering Sunday’s contest, the Current are tied with the 2019 North Carolina Courage’s mark of 54 goals. The Current’s staggering 18 different goal scorers in NWSL regular season play this season are also a league record.

Individually, the final weekend of regular season play should see Chawinga formally become the 2024 NWSL Golden Boot winner, marking Chawinga as the first Kansas City player to take home the honor. Chawinga has a seven-goal led over Orlando’s Barbra Banda with one regular season match remaining. Chawinga’s incredible debut season has been one of the primary catalysts of the Current’s success in 2024 and, regardless of Sunday’s events, she stands alone atop the NWSL regular season scoring leaderboard as the first player in league history to reach the 20-goal threshold. Her 26 goal contributions (20 goals, 6 assists) are also the highest single-season total in NWSL history. Chawinga’s record-setting season and all-around contributions to the Current’s success in 2024 has also placed her squarely in the NWSL MVP conversation, which a Current player has also never won.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kansas City Current defender Alana Cook –– Cook looks to close out her first regular season in Kansas City on a high note. Joining the club in July, she made her debut with the team against Tigres in the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup. Since then she has helped shore up the defense and anchored a back line that has only allowed two goals in the past eight games across all competitions.

Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson –– A United States Women’s National Team staple, Swanson leads the Red Stars with seven goals in NWSL regular season play. The forward opened the scoring against the Current when the sides met in June at CPKC Stadium and provided the assist on the Red Stars’ game-tying goal in the 90th minute. Swanson has seven goals and four assists, which is also the highest total of any Chicago player, in NWSL regular season play.

QUEENS OF SUMMER
Last Friday’s victory put a bow on a successful summer for the Current as the club took home the inaugural NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The championship, separate from NWSL regular season and postseason play, featured all 14 NWSL clubs and six of the top teams from Mexico’s Liga MX Femenil. Group stage matches were primarily played in July and August. Kansas City and its championship opponent, NJ/NY Gotham FC, advanced to the championship after winning their respective semifinal matches Aug. 6.

Across four matches in the summer cup, the Current conceded just two goals and outscored its opponents a combined 14-2. In the championship match, LaBonta recorded her first multi-assist game in an NWSL competition to fuel Chawinga’s brace, which marked the Malawi international’s second and third goals of the competition.

Friday’s championship marked the second summer trophy for the Current. In August, Kansas City won The Women’s Cup, a four-team event held at CPKC Stadium featuring top clubs from around the world. The Current took down Spain’s Atlético de Madrid 1-0 in the championship match. In both summer competitions, Kansas City posted a perfect 7-0-0 record.

SEEDING SCENARIOS
Despite Kansas City entering Sunday’s contest with a spot in the 2024 NWSL Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel, the Current’s final seeding on the NWSL regular season table is still very much up for grabs. The Orlando Pride earned the NWSL Shield Oct. 6, reserved for the team with the best regular season record, and will be the No. 1 overall seed entering the postseason. The Current, Washington Spirit and Gotham FC could finish between second and fourth place based on how the final weekend of regular season play shakes out.

With a Kansas City win Sunday, the Current will earn the No. 2 overall seed in the NWSL playoffs with a Washington loss or draw AND a Gotham loss or draw. The Current will finish the regular season as the No. 3 seed if only one of those teams drops points in their match. If both the Spirit and Gotham win their final regular season contest, Kansas City will enter the postseason as the No. 4 seed regardless of the Current’s result against Chicago.

Should the Current and Chicago draw Sunday, Kansas City will end the regular season with 53 points. With a tie, Kansas City will still be able to earn the No. 2 seed if the Spirit AND Gotham lose their final regular season contest. The Current will earn the No. 3 seed if either Washington OR Gotham falls over the weekend.

The Current will enter Sunday’s contest with a clearer idea of its postseason position, though. Gotham’s final regular season contest comes in a road tilt Friday night against the Utah Royals. That match kicks off at 8:30 p.m. CT and will broadcast on NWSL+. Saturday, the Spirit visit North Carolina as the Courage look to continue  the team’s 21-game home unbeaten streak. The Washington/North Carolina match kicks off at 6:30 p.m. CT and broadcast on ION.

IT’S (ALMOST) TEAL TIME
Following the conclusion of the 2024 regular season, the Current will turn focus to the first ever home playoff match in franchise history. Kansas City’s quarterfinal opponent at CPKC Stadium is still to-be-determined, but the match will be played next Saturday, Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. CT. The match will also air live CBS and stream on Paramount+.

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

AVAILABILITY REPORT
OUT:  Temwa Chawinga (knee), Alex Pfeiffer (SEI-knee), Gabrielle Robinson (SEI-knee), Mallory Weber (SEI - knee), Bia Zaneratto (foot)
QUESTIONABLE:  None
INTERNATIONAL: None