SANDY, Utah (May 25, 2024) — The Kansas City Current (7-0-4, 25 pts.) remain undefeated after battling the Utah Royals (1-9-1, 4 pts.) to a 1-0 victory Saturday night. The win marks the 11th straight game unbeaten this season, but the 13th overall dating back to the last two games of 2023. The Current have also become the first team in NWSL history to record 15 different goal scorers in a single regular season, thanks to the game-winning goal by veteran defender Elizabeth Ball.
A forty-minute weather delay to start the match didn’t slow the Current’s offensive attack. The team ended up with 24 shots on the night and eight on goal.
In the seventh minute of the match, Lo’eau LaBonta became the first player in club history to record 5,000 regular season minutes played for the KC Current. The veteran midfielder was recognized prior to the Current’s last match at home for tallying 10,000 career minutes played when she surpassed that tally in Kansas City’s matchup with North Carolina at CPKC Stadium on May 12th.
Attacker Temwa Chawinga was relentless all match totaling nine shots and five on target. She started things off by picking the ball off Utah’s goalkeeper Mandy Haught, with an open goal, but her shot hit off the crossbar in the eighth minute. Another close call in the 30th minute presented Chawinga with an opportunity as she drew Utah’s goalkeeper out of the box. With an empty net, Chawinga took the shot, but it was headed out by Royals defender Lauren Flynn who was able to just get back in time to head the ball over the goal, keeping the match scoreless.
Defender Gabrielle Robinson left the match in the 26th minute following an injury. Initial indications point towards a knee injury and the second-year defender will be further evaluated when the team returns to Kansas City.
Veteran defender Elizabeth Ball stepped in for Robinson without hesitation. She capitalized on the moment by helping Kansas City find the net in the 58th minute. A header from rookie midfielder Claire Hutton on the left side was directed towards the edge of the goalbox. Ball reaching through defenders, connected with her left foot and slid it past Haught in the bottom far corner of the net to give KC a 1-0 lead. The goal by Ball was the second of her career and her first since 2021. She also became KC’s 15th different goal scorer of the season, the most by any team in a single season in NWSL history. With her assist, Hutton became the third youngest player to record an assist in NWSL history at 18 years old.
Midfielder Debinha came close to adding another score in the in the 69th minute. A shot off her left foot just grazed the far post wide. Seconds later, Debinha intercepted a pass from a defender and got another attempt, but this time it bounced over the leg of an outstretched Haught and just wide kissed off the near post.
In the 88th minute Utah saw their best chance of the night, but goalkeeper AD Franch made an incredible save to maintain the Current’s 1-0 lead and finish off the match with a victory.
The Current’s 2024 unbeaten streak extends to 11 games, but dating back to the 2023 season, the Current are unbeaten in 13 games. That ties the club record at 13 games unbeaten which was set during the 2022 season.
In two weeks, Kansas City will return home to CPKC Stadium to take on the Seattle Reign for its first ‘Teal Out’ night presented by Palmer Square Capital Management. Fans attending the match are encouraged to wear their teal. The match kicks off at 5 p.m. CT with the pregame show on KMCI, 38 The Spot starting at 4:30 p.m. CT. Fans can also watch on NWSL+ or can listen along on 90.9 The Bridge and on the KC Current App.
NWSL Match Report
Match: Utah Royals vs. Kansas City Current
Date: May 25, 2024
Venue: America First Field, Salt Lake City, UT
Kickoff: 8:40 pm MT, 9:40 pm CT
Weather: 55 degrees, partly cloudy
Attendance: 7,491
Discipline
3’ – Tejada (Yellow)
90 + 7’ – Spaanstra (Yellow)
90 + 9’ – Mace (Yellow)
Scoring
58’ Kansas City – Ball (Hutton)
Scoring Summary
| GOALS | 1 | 2 | F |
| Utah | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kansas City | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Utah Royals Lineup: Haught, Del Fava, Tejada, Flynn, Merrick (46’ Pogarch), Henry, Burns, Foederer (86’ Nyberg), Monaghan © (78’ Fraser), Mozingo (86’ Vansconcelos), Sentor (78’ Betfort)
Unused Substitutes:, Tagliaferri, Tucker, Gray, Roque
Kansas City Current Lineup: Franch, Rodriguez, Robinson (26’ Ball), Ballisager, Mace, Hutton (74’ Scott), LaBonta ©, Debinha (81’ Zaneratto), Prince (46’ Dibernardo), Cooper (76’ Spaanstra), Chawinga
Unused Substitutes: Wheeler, Silkowitz, Pfeiffer, Lavogez
