Temwa scores to lead Golden Boot race as KC Current beat Gotham

Scorchers forward Temwa Chawinga made a sensational impact early on—scoring one and assisting the other within the first 10 minutes—helping Kansas City Current to a 2–1 win over Gotham Women in the National Women’s Soccer League on Saturday.

In the opening minute, Chawinga set up Michelle Cooper, who slotted home with clinical precision. The Current deployed high pressure on Gotham’s back line from the opening whistle, which paid off in the third minute when Chawinga intercepted a pass from Gotham FC defender Emily Sonnett at the top of the host’s penalty area.

MORE NEWS FROM WAMPIRA

Following the turnover, Chawinga shrugged off a Gotham defender and dished the ball to Cooper for a one-on-one opportunity with Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger.

Now in red-hot form, the 2023 world’s top scorer has found the net in four consecutive league matches, pushing her to the top of the Golden Boot standings with seven goals and two assists.

She now leads Zambia’s deadly forward, Barbra Banda—who has seven goals and one assist—and Gotham Women’s Esther González Rodríguez, also with seven goals but no assists.

Chawinga also became the fifth player in NWSL history to score in each of her first four meetings against a single opponent across all competitions, as the forward has now scored in all four of her career matches against Gotham FC.

The Current have notched 17 first half goals so far in 2025, the highest total in the NWSL. The club has scored a league-best 43 first half goals since the beginning of the 2024 campaign.

Cooper and Chawinga both notched a goal and an assist within the first 45 minutes of play, marking the fourth time in franchise history there have been multiple players to record a goal and an assist in the same game.

Saturday marked the fourth time Chawinga has done so in her NWSL regular season career and the second instance for Cooper, the first of which came earlier this season on March 29 against Utah. Cooper and Chawinga combined for the fastest two goals to start a game in the NWSL this season

To cap it all off, Chawinga recently secured her second Player of the Month award, taking home May’s honor in the league.

Next weekend, Kansas City makes its long-awaited return to CPKC Stadium for the first time in nearly a month. The Current will welcome Racing Louisville FC for the annual Pride Night, presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, on June 14. Next Saturday.