In the most intense playoff so far, a goal from Temwa Chawinga puts KC Current in the semifinals.
It is indisputable that the Current are in excellent shape. With a record 57 goals in the NWSL this season (37 of them at CPKC Stadium), his place in these playoffs was one of the most anticipated.
Playing these quarterfinals at home, the psychological advantage was more than evident, and Chawinga’s early goal was a good example of this.
This good form of the Current goes hand in hand with the good form of their star striker, who with 20 goals secured the competition’s Golden Boot more than comfortably.
KC CURRENT 1 – NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE 0
Kansas City scored the only goal of the game early in the game, taking advantage of a loose ball after a stop by Casey Murphy. The ball hit the post first, then Kaleigh Kurtz blocked a rebound and finally Chawinga put the home team ahead in the 8th minute.
The home team dominated from the beginning, making eight of the first nine shots, but the Courage gained ground in the game as the first half progressed, eventually surpassing the home team in shots the rest of the game.
Despite everything, the North Carolina team could not find an equalizer in the first half.
The visitors did their best after conceding the goal and, in the 25th minute, they had their first chance to tie the match.
The goal against woke up the Courage
A great cross from Kerolin reached Aline Gomes, but her powerful shot went wide. Moments later, a play by Kerolin led to a centered pass for Manaka Matsukubo, but his shot went wide.
Another great opportunity came just after the half-hour mark, when Aline Gomes passed the ball to Feli Rauch on the left. His cross found Kerolin and his shot was blocked, but the ball slowly headed towards the line. Current goalkeeper Almuth Schult touched the ball just before Manaka finished it, resulting in a foul that nullified the Courage’s goal.
With 1-0 we went to half-time.
The Courage continued to press
One of the crucial plays of the night came at the beginning of the second half, when Kaleigh Kurtz calculated perfectly to make a tackle at the top of the area to prevent a fast arrival from Chawinga and maintain the one-goal deficit and the hopes of the tie for yours.
The Courage continued to push and, on the hour mark, Denise O’Sullivan and Kerolin combined to create a play down the right side. They finally found Ashley Sánchez with space to put the through ball, but her shot was intercepted by the local goalkeeper.
The visitors had another chance to cross from the right side a couple of minutes later, but despite the number of players in the area, no one could reach the other end to finish.
The visitors did not find the tying goal
Narumi Miura attempted a long-range shot in the 66th minute that headed into the top corner, but again the Kansas City goalkeeper was equal. Matsukubo forced another stop in the 80th minute as North Carolina continued to look for an equalizer.
Time ran out for the Courage, who continued to press and had half-chances during added time, but nothing threatening enough to extend the match.
KC Current moves on to the semifinals and will face Orlando Pride next Saturday, November 16. A true clash of titans between two of the most in-form teams in the NWSL today.
MATCH SHEET
Current: Schult (P), Wheeler, Sharples, Cooke, Mace, Hutton (Scott, min. 83), DiBernardo (Pedersen, min. 90+4), LaBonta (C), Chawinga, Cooper (Prince, min. 75) y Debinha (Feist, min. 83).
Trainer: Vlatko Andonovski.
Courage: Murphy (P), Rauch (Vine, min. 75), Berkely, Kurtz, Williams, Miura (Speck, min. 88), Sanchez (Wingate, min. 65), O’Sullivan (C), Gomes (Hopkins, min. 88), Kerolin (St. Georges, min. 75) y Matsukubo.
Coach: Sean Nahas.
Goals: 1-0 Chawinga (min. 8).
Arbitrator: Brad Jensen.
Game played at CPKC Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri).
Incidences: Yellow card to LaBonta (Current, min. 28), yellow card to O’Sullivan (Courage, min. 36), yellow card to St. Georges (Courage, min. 90+8) and yellow card to Wheeler (Current, min. .90+8).
Award “Player of the Match”: Temwa Chawinga.
Author: Marga Martin
Photograph: National Women’s Soccer League
