Match Report: Kansas City Current claims NWSL record for team scoring in a season with 3-1 win against Chicago Red Stars

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (Nov. 3, 2024) — The Kansas City Current (16-3-7, 55pts., 4th place) wrapped up the regular season with a 3-1 win against the Chicago Red Stars (10-14-2, 32pts., 8th place) at SeatGeek Stadium in Illinois. The Current ended the season in the same fashion it started, historic and record-breaking. Today the club shattered the league record for goals in a single regular season with 57, which was previously held by the 2019 North Carolina Courage.

"I’m glad that all three of our forwards were able to score and bring the W for us. They were very dangerous, they scored really good goals, and they created some good opportunities.,” said head coach Vlatko Andonovski. “I think as a team it’s good for us to know, opponents are going to close down Temwa. They’re going to bring an extra player, they’re going to shift and defend different, but we have forwards that can change the game as well.” 

The Red Stars didn’t have a single shot on goal in the first half, and the Current were methodical and motivated. 

Capitalizing early with three goals in 10 minutes of play during the first half, the scoring barrage began in the 23rd minute. Perfect timing from Kansas City forward Michelle Cooper, who ran with the ball to find forward Nichelle Prince for a classic give-and-go. Prince put it in the box for Cooper to run onto and she knocked it home with a left footed touch past a sliding Chicago goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher. Cooper gave the Current a 1-0 lead with her third goal of the season and officially broke the NWSL single season record for team goals with 55. Kansas City was 12-1-2 when scoring first this season.

In the 26th minute defender Alana Cook fired a pass from the backline to midfielder Debinha on the front line who sent the ball wide. Midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo received the pass along the end line, took a touch from Prince and battled through three defenders to keep the opportunity alive going into the penalty box. Debinha connected with DiBernardo’s poke and it trickled into the back of the net to double the KC lead, 2-0. The goal was Debinha’s third of the season and DiBernardo’s 30th career assist. She is now tied with Lynn Williams at second all-time and one shy of the NWSL record.

In the 33rd minute midfielder Claire Hutton passed the ball forward from midfield but a deflection from the Chicago defender put the ball right to Prince who found herself in prime position inside the penalty box. Prince collected the rebound and struck it clean at the edge of the goal box past an outreaching Naeher who over committed on Hutton’s initial attempt. Prince’s second goal of the season gave Kansas City a 3-0 lead.

The Red Stars came out quickly in the second half. In the 52ndminute Chicago forward Ally Schlegel took a good run on a pass from forward Shea Groom and capitalized on a gap in the Current backline to put Chicago on the board, but that was all the Red Stars could muster as KC captured the three points and finished the regular season with a 3-1 victory.

Despite, not making the trip, Current forward Temwa Chawinga seemingly lays claim to the 2024 NWSL Golden Boot with 20 goals on the season. The NWSL Golden Boot is presented each season to the leading goal scorer in the league. The likely runners-up are Orlando’s Barbra Banda who finished the season with 13 goals and Portland’s Sophia Smith who wrapped up her regular season Friday, only a goal behind Banda.

After the final weekend of regular season play, the Current have clinched the No. 4 seed in the 2024 NWSL Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel and will face the No. 5 seed North Carolina Courage next Saturday, Nov. 9 at CPKC Stadium. 

Kansas City’s quarterfinal match kicks off at 11 a.m. CT next Saturday and will broadcast nationally on CBS and stream on Paramount+. The match will mark the club’s first-ever home playoff match and the Current’s first-ever postseason match at CPKC Stadium. 

Starting Monday, the club will begin selling tickets to the general public for the Current’s historic quarterfinal match. Season Ticket and Current Club Members do not need to wait, with early access available to them immediately. A limited number of tickets will go on sale to the general public starting at 11 a.m. CT Monday. The historic first season at CPKC Stadium has seen the team be the first in the NWSL to sell out every home regular season game this year, a trend that is expected to continue through the 2024 playoffs.

Tickets will be available for purchase on KansasCityCurrent.com or via the KC Current App. Season Ticket Members and  Current Club Members early-access window is already open to purchase quarterfinal tickets as well as the potential semifinal match at CPKC Stadium, pending quarterfinal results. 

Chicago Red Stars Vs. Kansas City Current Match Report
Date: November 3, 2024
Venue: SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, Ill.
Kickoff: 2:15 p.m. CT/3:15 p.m. ET
Weather: 60 degrees, cloudy
Attendance: 5,595

Discipline
81’ Kansas City – Magaia (Yellow)

Scoring
23’ Kansas City – Cooper (Prince)
26’ Kansas City – Debinha (DiBernardo)
33’ Kansas City – Prince
52’ Chicago – Schlegel (Groom)

Scoring Summary

Chicago Red Stars Lineup: Naeher ©, Anderson, Roccaro, Kuikka (45’ Curran), Malham, Franklin, Grosso (81’ Cook), Swanson (45’ Joseph), Groom (81’ Bike), Biegalski, Schlegel (74’ Nesbeth)
Unused Substitutes: Wood, Bianchi, Ayane, Milazzo

Kansas City Current Lineup: Schult, Wheeler, Sharples (60’ Ballisager), Cook (66’ Ball), Mace, LaBonta © (60’ Feist), Hutton (66’ Scott), DiBernardo, Prince, Debinha (80’ Magaia), Cooper
Unused Substitutes: Franch, Rodriguez, Hamilton, Jereko