Temwa Chawinga scored two late goals and the host Kansas City Current beat the Houston Dash 2-0 on Friday night in front of a sellout crowd at CPKC Stadium.
The Current (10-0-5) are unbeaten in the National Women’s Soccer League and set a league record by going unbeaten in 17 straight matches dating to last season. They have scored 47 goals during the span.
In the 77th minute, Chawinga beat her defender to a long ball sent over the top. While Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell slid and blocked Chawinga’s initial touch, the ball deflected to the forward, who scored from close range on her seventh shot of the match.
Chawinga doubled the score three minutes later, picking off a loose pass at the half and beating several defenders on the dribble before cutting around Campbell and scoring into an open net.
Chawinga leads the league with 11 goals.
Campbell made seven saves for the Dash, who fell to 3-7-5.
RED STARS 3, WAVE 0
Jameese Joseph subbed into the match at halftime and finished with a goal and an assist as Chicago beat San Diego at Snapdragon Stadium.
Mallory Swanson also scored and played a role in the team’s first goal.
The Red Stars (6-7-2) forced an own goal to open the scoring just before halftime. After combining with Jenna Bike, Swanson got the ball back in the right corner of the box. Her cross was deflected into the far corner.
In the 67th minute, Joseph stole the ball from a Wave defender and found Swanson in the box. Swanson scored from a tight angle with a hard shot that brushed the crossbar and bounced in.
Two minutes later, Joseph, a rookie, picked the ball off another Wave defender and got past goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan before shooting into an open net for her first NWSL goal.
After Chicago was whistled for a handball in the box, Alex Morgan took a penalty for the Wave in the 74th minute, but her shot sailed over the bar. Morgan was left off the U.S. squad announced earlier this week for the summer’s Olympics.
The Wave (3-6-6) had their winless streak extended to eight games.
Earlier this week, the Wave fired head coach Casey Stoney, citing the team’s performance as the reason. Stoney won NWSL coach of the year in 2022 and helped the Wave win the NWSL Shield last season. Paul Buckle, who served as an assistant coach for the Wave in 2022, took over as interim head coach.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer