Bia Zaneratto and Temwa Chawinga each had a goal with an assist as the NWSL-leading Kansas City Current extended their unbeaten run to 15 straight with a 4-1 home victory over the Chicago Stars on Friday.
Debinha opened the scoring seven minutes into the match and Lo’eau LaBonta recorded her NWSL-record-tying 14th career penalty-kick goal late in the contest for Kansas City.
The Current (18-2-2, 56 points) equaled the league mark for regular-season wins by improving to 13-0-2 since dropping two straight on April 27 and May 3.
Chawinga assisted on Zaneratto’s goal in the 51st minute before scoring herself in the 73rd minute.
Though Chicago (2-11-9, 15 points) was officially eliminated from the playoff race with the defeat, Nadia Gomes’ 58th-minute strike ended the Current’s league-record 870-minute shutout streak. Meanwhile, the Stars’ Alyssa Naeher (six saves) became the first NWSL goalkeeper to record 700 regular-season saves.
The Stars have lost two in a row following a 1-0-6 stretch.
Gotham FC 3, Thorns 0
Rose Lavelle had a goal with an assist as host Gotham topped Portland in Harrison, N.J., and improved to 4-0-1 in the past five matches.
After Midge Purce scored 10 minutes into the contest, Lavelle converted just before halftime for Gotham FC (9-6-7, 34 points). Lavelle then assisted on Katie Stengel’s goal on 73 minutes.
Portland (8-7-7, 31 points) managed just four overall shots, and two on target for the match. The loss halted the Thorns’ three-match unbeaten stretch (1-0-2).
Pride 2, Wave 1
Carson Pickett scored the tiebreaking goal in the 54th minute, and Orlando snapped a nine-match winless streak with a victory at San Diego.
Jacqueline Ovalle opened the scoring eight minutes into the match for Orlando (9-8-5, 32 points) before San Diego’s Dudinha equalized two minutes later. However, Pickett took a lengthy pass from Oihane Hernandez early in the second half and converted from inside the box for the eventual winner.
The victory ended an 0-5-4 rut for Orlando that dated to June 13. Meanwhile, the Wave (8-7-7, 31 points) are an 0-4-2 stretch.
–Field Level Media
