Via Kansas City Current
KANSAS CITY (Aug. 29, 2026) — The Kansas City Current (10-8-4, 34 pts., 7th place) returned to winning ways at CPKC Stadium on Saturday night, using three first-half goals to secure a 3-2 victory over the North Carolina Courage (11-8-3, 36 pts., 6th place). An own goal opened the scoring for the Current in the 12th minute, then a pair of assists from forward Haley Hopkins set up goals by midfielder Croix Bethune in the 35th minute and forward Michelle Cooper in the 41st minute. Cooper’s goal stood as the match winner as North Carolina pulled a goal back in first half stoppage time before cutting the deficit to one from the penalty spot in the second half. However, a host of saves from goalkeeper Lorena in the late stages helped the Current emerge with a hard-fought 3-2 victory.
Saturday’s match saw the highly anticipated return of forward Temwa Chawinga after she helped orchestrate Malawi’s historic run in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Chawinga played the final 28 minutes as a second-half substitute. In the 43rd minute, midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta became the 20th player in NWSL history to reach 10,000 minutes played for one club. The victory also extended the Current’s ongoing league-record home unbeaten streak to 28 matches.
“We’ve been creating chances every game, and tonight was a good display of seeing players reward themselves and our fans that showed up once again in good numbers,” said head coach Chris Armas. “Any time you score first it’s a good omen for the result, and you win more often than not. And the thing that mattered most is that we stepped on the pitch with a winning mindset and we attacked…It got a little close there at the end, but it almost makes it even more special because you have to learn how to dig deep in tough moments, and we did.”
The Current’s early pressure paid off after a second-chance opportunity from a corner kick put them ahead. Midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo served in the initial cross in the 12th minute that met defender Kayla Sharples six yards from goal, but Sheridan made a sprawling save to push the headed effort off the crossbar. The Courage attempted to clear their lines, but the loose ball ultimately fell to defender Izzy Rodriguez on the right wing. Rodriguez corralled the ball, then steered a cross back into a crowded penalty area that ricocheted off a North Carolina defender and bounded past a diving Sheridan.
Kansas City doubled its lead in the 34th minute after a stellar individual effort by Hopkins, who applied pressure on Sheridan after the Courage defense played the ball back to their goalkeeper. Hopkins forced an errant touch before denying Sheridan’s attempt to play the ball long, resulting in a loose ball in the penalty area that Hopkins slid behind her for Bethune. Bethune took a touch forward with her right foot, cut back as a Courage defender dove past, then curled a near-post strike that found the top right corner of the goal.
The goal marked Bethune’s fourth of the regular season — to go along with her team-high and club record nine assists — as well as her 11th career regular season tally. Bethune scored in both games against the Courage this regular season.
Hopkins turned provider again in the 41st minute, igniting a Current counterattack with a perfectly weighted through ball over the North Carolina defense. Cooper raced ahead in acres of space and took a touch forward that propelled her into the penalty area. She then uncorked a strike that flew past Sheridan and struck the underside of the crossbar before nestling in the bottom right corner.
The goal was Cooper’s 17th career regular season goal and her fifth this year. Hopkins registered the first multi-assist game of her regular season career with her assist on Cooper’s breakaway finish. Cooper’s goal put the Current ahead 3-0, marking the second time the Current has scored three goals in the opening 45 minutes this regular season.
North Carolina pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage time, but Kansas City took a 3-1 lead into the break. In the 75th minute, the referee awarded the visitors a free kick near the top of the Current’s penalty area that forward Ashley Sanchez curled towards goal. The ball deflected off a Current player, and the referee deemed the block constituted a handling offense in the penalty area, resulting in a spot kick. Courage midfielder Riley Jackson converted the penalty kick to cut their lead to 3-2.
Lorena made multiple key stops down the stretch to preserve the Current’s victory. In the 80th minute, she made a fingertip save to push away a low, curling effort from Sanchez. Six minutes later, the Brazilian netminder made a full-extension diving save to deny a strike from Courage forward Chioma Okafor. In the 89th minute, she once again stood tall at the near post to prevent another effort from Sanchez.
The Current ultimately emerged with a one-goal victory after six minutes of second-half stoppage time, completing the regular season sweep of North Carolina. The win also improved the Current’s all-time home record against the Courage to 5-0-2.
With 10 victories on the season, the Current is now the sixth club in league history to reach double-digit victories in three or more consecutive seasons.
Kansas City hits the road to face Bay FC in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 4. The match kicks off at 9 p.m. CT (7 p.m. PT) at PayPal Park and will broadcast nationally on Prime Video. 90.9 The Bridge will broadcast the match over the air, and an audio feed of the match will be available in English, Spanish and Portuguese on the KC Current App.
Current Landing, the waterfront mixed-use district, anchored by CPKC Stadium and the Missouri River, will host a watch party for Friday’s match. Fan entry will begin at 8 p.m. CT. Free tickets can be reserved HERE.
NWSL Match Report
Match: Kansas City Current vs. North Carolina Courage
Date: Aug. 29, 2026
Venue: CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Kickoff: 5:47 p.m. CT/6:47 p.m. ET
Weather: 96 degrees, sunny
Attendance: 11,500
Discipline
40+5’ North Carolina – Rauch (Yellow)
55’ Kansas City – Cooper (Yellow)
59’ Kansas City – LaBonta (Yellow)
74’ Kansas City – I. Rodriguez (Yellow)
82’ North Carolina – Staude (Yellow)
90’ Kansas City – Hopkins (Yellow)
90’ North Carolina – Parkinson (Yellow)
Scoring
12’ Kansas City – Own Goal
35’ Kansas City – Bethune (Hopkins)
41’ Kansas City – Cooper (Hopkins)
45+3’ North Carolina – Sanchez (Ijeh)
76’ North Carolina – Jackson (PK)
Scoring Summary
1 2 F
Kansas City 3 0 3
North Carolina 1 1 2
Kansas City Current Lineup: Lorena, I. Rodriguez, Sharples, Robinson (24’ Scott), Ball, DiBernardo (81’ R. Rodríguez), LaBonta ©, Bethune, Hopkins, Cooper (62’ Chawinga), Debinha (81’ Rouse)
Unused Substitutes: Jordan, White, Paul, Feist, Hocking
North Carolina Courage Lineup: Sheridan ©, Rauch (68’ Jackson), Staude (90+2’ Betford), Shiragaki, Williams, Wickenheiser (46’ Okafor), Koyama (87’ Thompson), Bøe Risa (46’ Weatherholt), Sanchez, Ijeh, Parkinson
Unused Substitutes: White, Wingate, Younce, Brooks
