Second-Half Offensive Spark Powers Kansas City Current to 4-1 Win Over Chicago Stars FC
NWSL Kansas City Current

Second-Half Offensive Spark Powers Kansas City Current to 4-1 Win Over Chicago Stars FC

Published on September 26, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Kansas City Current News Release


KANSAS CITY - The Kansas City Current (18-2-2, 56 pts., 1st place) closed its three-match homestand with a 4-1 victory over Chicago Stars FC (2-11-9, 15 pts., 14th place) Friday night at CPKC Stadium. Midfielder Debinha opened the scoring in the seventh minute on a feed from forward Bia Zaneratto, a lead that stood heading into halftime before Zaneratto doubled the Current's advantage in the 51st minute. After Chicago put a goal back, forward Temwa Chawinga responded in the 73rd minute with her league-leading 14th regular season goal on forward Mary Long's first career assist. In second-half stoppage time, midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta notched the home team's fourth and final goal from the penalty spot, which marked her National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) record-tying 14th career penalty kick.

Friday's result marked the Current's 18th regular season win this year, extending the club's single-season franchise record and matching the NWSL record for most wins in a single regular season. It also set a new club record for points in a single season with 56, eclipsing last year's mark of 55. Kansas City extended its ongoing unbeaten streak to 15 matches and remains the only team in the NWSL that is unbeaten at home.

"I challenged them before the game to maintain the standards that we have," said head coach Vlatko Andonovski. "I wasn't worried about the result, or the winning or losing, and I told them that before the game. In fact, we never talk about winning and losing. We never have talked about results on our team...Today we went back to our normal selves and making sure that we executed the tasks, we do the right thing and we believe in our process so much that we know that success is inevitable."

The Current's early pressure paid off in the seventh minute as forward Michelle Cooper forced a turnover in the attacking third and played a ball into the penalty area for Zaneratto. With her back to goal, Zaneratto held off a Chicago defender while Debinha curled around and darted towards goal. Zaneratto rolled the ball with the bottom of her foot to Debinha, who met the pass in stride and took a touch before curling a strike into the right-side netting of the goal.

The goal marked Debinha's seventh of the regular season and her 78th career goal across all competitions - tied for the third-highest total in league history. Debinha is now level with Sam Kerr's career total of 78 goals and only trails Lynn Biyendolo (82) and Christine Sinclair (79) on the all-time leaderboard. Debinha also moved into a tie for sixth with Jessica McDonald for career NWSL regular season goals with 54.

Kansas City had several chances to double its advantage as the first half progressed, but Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher stood tall to deny a handful of scoring opportunities. Goalkeeper Lorena was called into action twice in the late stages of the opening frame, first making a full-extension diving save in the 35th minute to deny a goal-bound effort from Stars forward Ally Schlegel. Four minutes later, a dangerous Chicago sequence culminated with a shot inside the penalty area from forward Julia Gross, but her effort went right into Lorena's gloves. The Current's 1-0 lead held firm as the halftime whistle sounded.

The home team quickly went to work as the second half began. In the 51st minute, Kansas City found its second goal through a quick attacking move. Chawinga controlled the ball in the attacking third and held up play just long enough for Zaneratto to make an overlapping run and race towards goal. Chawinga dished a pass with the outside of her foot that met Zaneratto perfectly in stride, and Zaneratto took two big touches forward. While sliding, Zaneratto hammered a strike past Naeher into the bottom right corner, marking her sixth goal of the 2025 campaign on Chawinga's third assist.

Chicago put a goal back seven minutes later when forward Nádia Gomes beat Lorena with a low strike to cut the Stars' deficit to one. It was the first time Kansas City has conceded in regular season play since June 14, and the club's NWSL-record shutout streaks concluded at 869 minutes and nine matches.

Kansas City wasted little time with a response. In the 73rd minute, defender Regan Steigleder played the ball forward for fellow defender Izzy Rodriguez on the left touchline near midfield. Rodriguez settled the pass and played another quick ball for Long in the attacking third, who curled a one-touch pass with her left foot for Chawinga on the run. Long's feed played Chawinga into Chicago's penalty area where she met a host of Chicago defenders. After her first touch, Chawinga cut back near the penalty spot, dribbled laterally and - in the middle of five Chicago defenders - fired a low shot past the outstretched arms of Naeher and into the back of the net.

The goal marked Chawinga's 14th of the regular season to extend her lead in the Golden Boot race. Chawinga has now scored in three consecutive regular season contests, and this marked her 38th goal in her 51st career appearance across all competitions. It was Long's first career assist.

Chawinga and Zaneratto both recorded a goal and an assist in Friday's contest, the fifth time in franchise history - and the second time in 2025 - there have been multiple players record a goal and an assist in the same match.

In second-half stoppage time, LaBonta put the finishing touches on the Current's three-goal victory after forward Alex Pfeiffer drew a foul in the penalty area. LaBonta stepped up to take the penalty kick and made no mistake, sending Naeher the wrong way to seal the 4-1 triumph for the Current.

The spot kick marked LaBonta's 25th career NWSL regular season goal, making her the 34th player in league history to reach the milestone. LaBonta has now converted 14 penalty kicks in her NWSL regular season career, which ties Megan Rapinoe's NWSL record for career penalty kicks scored. LaBonta has now scored five goals this season, all of which have come from the penalty spot.

Defender Katie Scott made her first career NWSL regular season start Friday night and played the entirety of the first half while midfielder Bayley Feist made her first start of the 2025 season and logged a full 90 minutes. In addition to helping set up Kansas City's fourth goal, Steigleder made her first appearance of the season.

Kansas City visits the West Coast next week for a Monday night match against Angel City FC on Oct. 6. The contest kicks off at 9:30 p.m. CT (7:30 p.m. PT) from BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif., and will broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network. Fans in Kansas City can watch a simulcast of the game on KMCI, 38 the Spot with a pregame show, KC Current Matchday, beginning at 9 p.m. CT. The match will broadcast over the air locally on 90.9 The Bridge, and an audio feed will be available on the KC Current App in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from September 26, 2025


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