KANSAS CITY (Oct. 11, 2024) –– The Kansas City Current (13-3-7, 46 points, 4th place) completes a two-game road trip with the club’s first visit to the Bay Area, where the Current will face Bay FC (9-13-1, 28 points, 8th place) Saturday evening at PayPal Park. Saturday’s competition begins at 9 p.m. CT and will air in Kansas City on KMCI, 38 the Spot and nationally on ION with Maura Sheridan and Jordan Angeli as hosts. Fans in Kansas City can catch the action with Dave Borchardt and Jillian Carroll Letrinko on 90.9 The Bridge or listen in English or Spanish via the KC Current app.

Kansas City pulled off an impressive road win last weekend, earning a 2-0 victory over a Racing Louisville FC squad that was fighting for a postseason spot. Forward Temwa Chawinga scored the first goal for the Current just 109 seconds into the contest, marking her NWSL single-season record 18th goal of the NWSL regular season, and Kansas City didn’t look back. The Current once again put together a stifling defensive performance and severely limited Louisville’s scoring opportunities. She then secured an insurance goal when midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo fired a spectacular free kick into the goal in the 86th minute. DiBernardo’s goal was the first direct free kick goal for the Current in 2024.

In net, goalkeeper Almuth Schult scored the fourth clean sheet for the team. Entering Saturday’s contest, the Current had posted a shutout in four of their last five contests.

Like Louisville last weekend, Bay FC is among the few teams looking to secure a spot in the postseason. Bay FC enters the weekend in eighth place, level on points with seventh-placed Portland Thorns but trailing on goal difference. Bay FC holds a three-point lead over ninth-place Louisville and a six-point lead over the San Diego Wave and Angel City FC. Last weekend, Bay FC lost 5-1 on the road against NJ/NY Gotham FC. The game went into halftime, but Gotham FC scored four goals in 14 minutes to open the game.

Saturday’s game is the second regular season game between Current and Bay FC. Kansas City won the first game, played at CPKC Stadium on April 20, 5-2 behind braces from striker Bia Zaneratto and Chawinga. Kansas City took a two-goal lead just six minutes into the game, and after Bay FC responded with a goal in the 17th minute, Current scored three goals in 17 minutes of the second half to seal the game.

HIGH QUALITY SATURDAY
Saturday evening could be a historic evening for the Current in several ways. First, Kansas City could secure a spot in the top four of the NWSL final standings and a home playoff game at CPKC Stadium with a win Saturday night against Bay FC. This would secure the first home playoff game in franchise history while also marking the first regular season postseason game at CPKC Stadium.

Kansas City can also secure a spot in the top four this weekend when the North Carolina Courage either loses OR draws against Angel City FC on Saturday. The Courage’s game against Angel City begins at 6:30 p.m. CT, also on ION.

The Orlando Pride won the NWSL Shield last weekend, but an intense race is shaping up for second, third and fourth place in the NWSL final table. Hosting multiple playoff games at CPKC Stadium remains on the line for Current as second-place Washington Spirit, third-place Gotham FC and Kansas City are separated by just one point entering the weekend. With three regular season games remaining, the Current can climb further in the standings if Washington or Gotham FC end up losing points.

The 2024 NWSL Playoffs presented by Google Pixel begins with the eight-team quarterfinal round on the second weekend of November, followed by the semifinal round the following weekend. CPKC Stadium will host the 2024 NWSL Championship, taking place on Saturday, November 23rd.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kansas City Current Defender Kayla Sharples – Saturday’s game will be a homecoming of sorts for defender Kayla Sharples, as she was acquired from the Current in a trade with Bay FC on August 28th. In fact, Sharples scored a goal for Bay FC against the Current 20 in April, which was only her second professional goal. Before moving to Kansas City, Sharples had scored against the Current as a member of Bay FC and the Chicago Red Stars (2023). Sharples has been an integral part of the Current’s backline since making her club debut on September 7, immediately forming a partnership with center back Alana Cook at the heart of Kansas City’s defense. Since Sharples’ arrival, Kansas City has conceded just one goal in its last five games and shut out four of its last five opponents. In 2024, Sharples has won 27 aerial duels and recorded 19 interceptions.

Asisat Oshoala, Bay FC striker – Striker Asisat Oshoala scored the only goal of the competition for Bay FC last weekend, converting a breakaway opportunity with a looped shot to make it 1-1 in the 18th minute. The goal marked her seventh of the regular season, which is a team record. Oshoala joined Bay FC ahead of the 2024 season and has extensive international experience. Before moving to Bay FC, he scored 117 goals in 162 games for FC Barcelona. As Oshoala becomes more accustomed to the NWSL, her talent as a goalscorer has been on display as she has scored in four of Bay FC’s last five games. Oshoala is also an international icon, having been named African Footballer of the Year in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023, representing her home country Nigeria.

TEMWA ON THE EDGE
Chawinga scored her 18th goal of the 2024 NWSL regular season last weekend against Louisville, tying her with Sam Kerr for the only NWSL regular season goalscoring record. Chawinga would break the NWSL goalscoring record with her next goal, which could come against Bay FC on Saturday.

Breaking Kerr’s record would cap one of the most incredible debut seasons in NWSL history. Chawinga was simply dominant in 2024, notching six assists alongside her 18 goals and scoring in eight consecutive NWSL games from June 9 to September 7. This streak was the longest in league history. With a goal last Saturday against Louisville, Chawinga enters the weekend having scored in 11 of the Current’s last 12 NWSL regular season contests.

Chawinga’s goal against Louisville helped extend their lead in the 2024 NWSL Golden Boot race. Chawinga has a five-goal lead over Orlando striker Barbra Banda, and should Banda equal Chawinga’s total, both strikers will have the same number of assists.

Additionally, following her goal last weekend in Louisville, Chawinga has scored on 12 of the 13 other NWSL teams. No player has scored against all 13 other teams in a single season, a feat Chawinga could achieve on Oct. 19 against the San Diego Wave.

DEFENSE CONTINUES
The Current’s strong September was underpinned by an impressive, consistent defense, conceding just three goals in five games. That trend continued into October, when Kansas City posted its fourth shutout in its last five games last Saturday against Louisville.

This route was particularly impressive due to the type of opponents the current faced on this route. Kansas City conceded just one goal in three games against the top three clubs in the NWSL standings – Orlando, Washington and Gotham FC – and has not conceded multiple goals in a game since Sept. 1 against the North Carolina Courage.

The North Carolina game is also significant because it was the last time an opponent scored a goal against the Current. Gotham FC’s goal against Kansas City on September 28th came from an own goal. Schult, Sharples and defender Alana Cook have led the Current’s recent defensive performance as the team look to maintain their penchant for keeping clean sheets this weekend at Bay FC.

AVAILABILITY REPORT
Missing: Kristen Hamilton (thigh), Alex Pfeiffer (SEI knee), Gabrielle Robinson (SEI knee), Mallory Weber (SEI knee), Bia Zaneratto (foot)
QUESTIONABLE: None
INTERNATIONAL: None