Match Preview: Kansas City Current Resume NWSL Regular Season Action Against Gotham FC

The Kansas City Current (8-0-2, 24 pts., 1st place) resume National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) action this weekend following the recent international window. The Current will conclude its three-match road swing against Gotham FC (3-4-3, 12 pts., 9th place) on Saturday, June 7, at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J., with kickoff slated for noon CT (1 p.m. ET).  

The match will broadcast nationally on CBS with Jacqui Oatley and Lori Lindsey on the call. Jillian Carroll Letrinko and Dave Borchardt will have the action on 90.9 The Bridge and fans can also tune in to hear the match in English, Spanish or Portuguese on the KC Current App.  

CURRENT VS. GOTHAM 

Kansas City remains unbeaten in the all-time series with Gotham FC (4-0-5) across all competitions. The last three regular season meetings were draws before the Current won the NWSL x Liga MXF Summer Cup final in October 2024. Despite Gotham leading in four of the nine contests between the two teams, the Current have come back to level the score each time. Temwa Chawinga has scored four goals in three career matches against Gotham FC, scoring at least once in each contest. Only four players have scored in each of their first four games with a single NWSL opponent in all competitions, most recently Francisca Ordega vs. Portland from 2015-18. 

GOALS GALORE 

The Current have scored 22 goals across 10 matches in 2025. Fifteen of those goals have been in the first half with seven of those coming in the opening 25 minutes. Kansas City has scored first in 13 of its last 14 regular season contests since Oct. 5, 2024. Since the start of the 2024 season, the Current have 17 regular season wins by two or more goals, five more than any other team in that time (Washington, 12). Seven of those wins by two or more goals have been in 2025. Additionally, Kansas City’s plus-15 goal difference is the best after 10 matches of a season in NWSL history. The Current have held the lead 64.1 percent of the time this year. 

HISTORY ON THE HORIZON 

After becoming the 12th player in NWSL history to reach 15,000 minutes played and the first to take 400 regular season corner kicks, more history is on the horizon for midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo. She is one assist away from sharing a piece of the NWSL regular season assist record. With 30, she is currently one behind Lynn Biyendolo, Sophia Huerta and Jess McDonald who co-own the record with 31. DiBernardo is also one assist away from tying teammate Hailie Mace for the Kansas City Current club record for NWSL regular season assists with nine.  

A 12-year veteran of the league, DiBernardo is one game away from reaching 200 regular season appearances. She will become the fifth player in NWSL history to reach that milestone, joining Lauren Barnes, McCall Zerboni, Christine Sinclair and Jess Fishlock. DiBernardo, who recently celebrated her 33rd birthday, will become the second youngest player to hit that mark.  

PLAYER OF THE MONTH 

Forward Temwa Chawinga, the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) MVP and Golden Boot winner, was named the NWSL May Player of the Month, presented by EA SPORTS, as announced Thursday. She also garnered the first NWSL Player of the Month recognition of the 2025 campaign back in March. Chawinga has won the award five times in her career since joining the league ahead of the 2024 season. She now owns sole possession of the NWSL record for most Player of the Month honors, breaking the tie she previously shared with Kim Little and Megan Rapinoe.   

The Malawi native powered Kansas City to a 3-1-0 record during May – including three straight wins to close out the month. Chawinga recorded a trio of goals in that span, finding the back of the net against Bay FC, Orlando Pride and Chicago Stars FC. Entering Week 11 of the 2025 NWSL season, Chawinga is tied for second in the NWSL Golden Boot race with six goals and one assist. She is also ranked third in the league with 14 shots on target.    

BEST OF THE BEST 

Forward Temwa Chawinga and defender Hailie Mace were selected to May’s NWSL Best XI, presented by Amazon Prime, as announced earlier on Friday. Kansas City’s two recipients are tied for the most of any team this month, and the Current have garnered a league-leading 10 Best XI selections between March, April and May. No other club in NWSL history has had more than seven players recognized on the Best XI team in the first three months of the season.    

Chawinga has earned a Best XI honor for the seventh time in her career, which is tied for fifth all-time. Her goal against Bay FC on May 11 propelled her to become the first player in NWSL history to score in each of her first three regular season games against two different clubs. Her game-winning tally on May 16 against Orlando Pride was the 25th regular season goal of her career, a mark she reached in just 34 regular season appearances. Not only did she hit that milestone in six fewer games than anyone else in league history, but she also became the 18th player to record 25 or more goals with one club and the first to do so for the Current. Her goal vs. Chicago Stars FC on May 24 was her ninth career regular season game-winning goal, extending her own club record.  

Mace received Best XI recognition for the third time in her NWSL tenure and the first since September/October 2022. She logged a full 90 minutes in all four matches during the month of May and was a key piece of the Current’s back line which conceded just three goals and earned a 1-0 shutout victory against the Orlando Pride. Also contributing offensively, Mace had a pair of assists vs. Bay FC at CPKC Stadium for the second multi-assist game of her career and the second by an NWSL player this season. She dished out another assist in Chicago two weeks later to set a new Current franchise record for regular season assists with nine. Her three assists on the year – all recorded during the May slate – are tied for second in the league.   

INTERNATIONAL ROUNDUP 

Several Kansas City Current players were in action during the FIFA international window from May 26 to June 3. Goalkeeper Lorena was called up by the Brazilian National Team for a pair of friendlies against Japan in preparation for the Copa América later this summer. She started both matches, guiding Brazil to a 3-1 win in the first match and a 2-1 victory in the second. She had a clutch penalty kick save on May 30 in match one. 

A trio of Current players represented the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT): forward Michelle Cooper and midfielders Claire Hutton and Lo’eau LaBonta. The USWNT defeated China PR, 3-0, on May 31 before posting a 4-0 win over Jamaica on June 3. Cooper, who started the first match, recorded an assist before subbing in during the second game. Hutton was part of the starting lineup against Jamaica and put in an 80-minute shift. After receiving her first call-up, LaBonta earned her first cap in the match against China PR, becoming the oldest player to debut for the USWNT in its 40-year history. She also subbed in during the second match.  

Currently in the midst of international duty is forward Mary Long and defender Katie Scott who are with the U.S. Under-20 National Team at the 2025 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Not only did the USA punch its ticket to the 2026 FIFA U-20 World Cup earlier in the tournament, but it also swept Group A with wins over Guyana (8-0), Puerto Rico (3-1) and Costa Rica (4-0). Scott, who wore the captain’s band vs. Puerto Rico, netted a goal in the contest. Long had a brace against Puerto Rico as well as a goal and an assist vs. Costa Rica. The team will take on Group B runner-up Canada in the semifinal on June 6 for a berth to the June 8 title game. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Kansas City defender Kayla Sharples – Sharples is one of three Current players who has logged every minute so far this season. She has been a vital part of Kansas City’s defensive unit which has earned five shutouts and conceded a league-low seven goals. Sharples, one of six players on the roster with multiple goals this year, scored her second of the season in the Current’s last match against Chicago Stars FC on May 24. Both goals were headers off corner kicks from fellow defender Izzy Rodriguez, and Sharples now has five career regular season goals. In fact, all five of her goals have come off set pieces, with four from headers and one from a free kick.  

Gotham forward Esther González – González is currently tied for first in the NWSL with seven goals heading into Week 11 and her 15 shots on target rank second. She was named the April NWSL Player of the Month, presented by EA SPORTS, and made the league’s Best XI, presented by Amazon Prime, that same month. In total, the Spaniard has 18 goals and four assists in 36 NWSL regular season appearances. González’s goal in the 82nd minute was enough to secure Gotham’s 1-0 win over Tigres in the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup on May 24, the club’s first continental trophy which punched its ticket to both the 2026 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup and the inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup in 2028. 

AVAILABILITY REPORT 

OUT: Gabrielle Robinson (SEI – Knee), Alex Pfeiffer (SEI – Knee), Alana Cook (SEI – Knee), Kristen Hamilton (Hip), Debinha de Oliveira (Knee), Lo’eau LaBonta (Knee), Nichelle Prince (Thigh), Clare Gagne (Head) 

QUESTIONABLE: None 

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: Mary Long (U.S. U-20), Katie Scott (U.S. U-20) 

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