LaBonta, Chawinga score goals and Current beat Spirit 2-0
Temwa Chawinga scored her second goal of the season and the Kansas City Current remained undefeated with a 2-0 victory over the Washington Spirit in National Women's Soccer League play on Saturday.
Elsewhere in the NWSL, the Seattle Reign beat North Carolina Courage 2-1; Bay FC eased past Racing Louisville 2-0; and the San Diego Wave took care of the Utah Royals 3-2.
Lo'eau LaBonta gave Kansas City the lead from the penalty spot in the 56th minute, firing into an open net after sending Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury the wrong way. It was the 10th successful penalty kick of the Kansas City captain's NWSL career.
Spirit head coach Jonatan Giráldez turned to his bench to bring on U.S. Olympian Trinity Rodman, who appeared to make an immediate impact with a goal in the 61st minute, but it was offside.
Chawinga, the reigning league MVP, made it 2-0 just before the final whistle, scoring on a counterattack sparked by a long ball up the field from Hallie Mace.
The contest was played in front of a sold-out crowd of 19,254 at Audi Field, the third straight home sellout for the Spirit going back to the 2024 playoffs.
Bugg rocket seals Seattle win
The Reign's 18-year-old Jordyn Bugg scored her first professional goal in the 56th minute at First Horizon Stadium in Cary, North Carolina. She collected a high clearance, took a touch, and then smashed the ball from 37 yards out into the top right hand corner of the net to make it 2-0.
Jess Fishlock made her 200th career appearance for the Reign, and marked the occasion by opening the scoring in the first half.
Aline Gomes pulled one back for North Carolina just three minutes after Bugg's goal.
Lema stars in Bay road win
Rookie Karlie Lema intercepted the ball on the edge of her own box, and then dribbled almost the entire length of the field at PayPal Park before striking a swerving shot into the corner of the net to make it 2-0 in first half stoppage time.
It was Lema's first professional goal and she also becomes the first rookie to score for Bay.
Joelle Anderson opened the scoring in the 12th minute.
Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo left the match because of lightheadedness and was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Wave holds off Royals
Gia Corley scored the winning goal and the San Diego Wave held on for the win at Snapdragon Stadium.
With 16 minutes left in the match, Corley intercepted a poor goal kick from Utah's Mandy McGlynn and immediately lasered the ball into the net to make it 3-2.
Corley earned an assist on the Wave's opening goal, weaving her way along the touchline and sliding a pass across the face of the goal for María Sánchez to tap in. Delphine Cascarino had a breakaway dribble and pass to set up Adriana Leon from point-blank range for the Wave's second goal.
The Royals responded when Claudia Zornoza curled a free-kick over the wall and into the back of the net in the 61st minute to make it 2-1. Mina Tanaka tied it with a goal in the 72nd minute.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Theo Lloyd-hughes, The Associated Press
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Tom Daley speaks out about his father's death as he admits he 'didn't know who to turn to'
Tom Daley "didn't know who to turn to" when his dad died. The 31-year-old Olympian lost his father, Robert, to a brain tumour more than a decade ago, but he is sure that his dad is still "supporting" him with everything as he goes on in his life and career. He told People: "When he was gone from my life, I didn't really know who to turn to or who to talk to about lots of things. "There wasn't really anyone that would bring it out of me, because my dad was always someone who kind of knew exactly what I was thinking and how I was feeling and knew how to fix it. "He supports me all the way, and if I didn't have his support system, I wouldn't be here now 'cause I wouldn't want to carry on." Tom has sons Robbie, six, as well as two-year-old Phoenix with his husband Dustin Lance Black, and recently admitted that losing his dad was one of the "most difficult" things he has ever had to go through but still takes inspiration from his dad when it comes to his parenting style. He said: "I model lots of my parenting and lots of the things that I do every day around what I learned from my dad. He my biggest cheerleader. He was there for every training session, every competition, and he was a huge part of my life, day in, day out. "Losing him was one of the most difficult things that I ever had to deal with." Yet I was dealing with that in a very public way in the U.K. Looking back on all of that footage was quite challenging to watch because I felt really sorry for the younger Tom that I kind of was just carrying on and putting on a brave face, and I didn't ever want to bother anyone with how I was feeling because I didn't want to ever make anyone else feel uncomfortable." Tom has discussed his life and career at length in the new documentary, Tom Daley: 1.6 Seconds' but admitted that he initially had reservations about speaking about such personal things on camera. He said: "I wasn't sure about doing it initially. You know what? This is something that I would love to be able to then show my kids in the future and be able to be like, 'Look, this is what Papa did. This is the thing that Papa was doing day in, day out' And the things that I did, and be able to get to know the relationship I had with my dad and all of that stuff."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
2-time Olympian Jordan Chiles shows up courtside for Valkyries-Sparks OT thriller
The post 2-time Olympian Jordan Chiles shows up courtside for Valkyries-Sparks OT thriller appeared first on ClutchPoints. The energy at Arena was already electric on Monday night, but the crowd buzzed louder when two-time Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles took her seat courtside. The WNBA delivered one of its most thrilling games of the season, and Chiles was there for every moment. The Golden State Valkyries pulled off a dramatic 89-81 overtime win over the Los Angeles Sparks. Janelle Salaun led the Valkyries with 21 points and 8 rebounds, while Kayla Thornton drilled a clutch three-pointer with 38 seconds left in the extra period. The Sparks had their own firepower with Kelsey Plum dropping 24 points, but it was not enough to hold off Golden State's late surge. Advertisement This game marked a critical point in the season series. The Valkyries now lead 2-1 over the Sparks, continuing their strong form after victories on opening night and today. With both teams battling for playoff positioning, the intensity on the floor was matched by the energy in the stands. Sitting just a few feet from the court, Jordan Chiles soaked it all in. Known for her electric floor routines and steady presence on the U.S. gymnastics team, Chiles brought her champion spirit into the basketball arena. She smiled, waved at fans, and stood up during key plays, clearly locked into the action. Her appearance sent a powerful message about the rise of women's sports and the respect athletes across disciplines have for one another. Chiles is no stranger to pressure or big stages. She helped Team USA win silver in Tokyo and followed it up with a gold medal performance in Paris in the team competition. Outside of Olympic glory, she has competed at the highest levels in NCAA gymnastics for UCLA, becoming a fan favorite and a role model for young athletes across the country. Advertisement Her presence at the game was more than a photo opportunity, it was a show of support that spoke volumes. As women's basketball continues to grow in viewership and influence, the support of figures like Chiles helps push it further into the spotlight. It reminds fans and fellow athletes that excellence, commitment, and excitement exist in every corner of sport. The game itself was a showcase of that excellence. It was fast, physical, emotional, and unpredictable. Every possession mattered. Every shot had weight. Jordan Chiles was right there for it all, her presence amplifying the moment and reminding everyone that greatness always recognizes greatness. Related: Week 3 WNBA power rankings: Lynx, Liberty soar as others struggle to launch Related: Top contenders in WNBA Commissioner's Cup race
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fever-Sky still hit CBS milestone despite Caitlin Clark's absence
The post Fever-Sky still hit CBS milestone despite Caitlin Clark's absence appeared first on ClutchPoints. Even with Caitlin Clark out with a quad injury, the game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever at the United Center in Chicago last Saturday had solid ratings for the WNBA on CBS. Advertisement The game officially recorded 1.92 million viewers, the third most-watched WNBA game this year, per Colin Salao of Front Office Sports. The game is behind the Fever vs. Sky season opener (2.7 million, ABC) and Fever vs. Liberty (2.2 million, CBS). Furthermore, the game also reached a peak of 2.16 million viewers. This one game saw a 75% increase in ratings for CBS from the 2024 WNBA season. The Fever dominated the Sky with a 79-52 win in the first-ever WNBA game played at the United Center. It also saw Sky veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot suffering an ACL injury, rendering her out for the rest of the season. Even with Clark out, the game proved that the WNBA can still draw people in. The final attendance for the game was 19,496. While the league continues to grow, there is little doubt that a matchup between the Fever and Sky is galvanizing. The Fever and Sky are the WNBA's big draw Since Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were drafted in 2024, heightened attention has been paid to the Fever and Sky. Thus, every game between is more than likely to draw a crowd both in person and on television. Advertisement Both teams have seen increased attention and sellout crowds. Inevitably, there is an ongoing attempt to manufacture a rivalry between Clark and Reese. As such, there is a growing pantheon of experts and would-be experts weighing in and, sometimes, making physicality in basketball into alleged confirmation of a perceived personal vendetta between the two. Nevertheless, there is no question that the Fever and Sky are compelling teams to watch, especially when they play against one another. That dynamic is not to die down any time soon. Related: WNBA news: Coco Gauff supports Sky-Liberty fresh off French Open win Related: 2-time Olympian Jordan Chiles shows up courtside for Valkyries-Sparks OT thriller
