Latest news with #TemwaChawinga
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
KC Current unveils new kits for 2025. They're teal — and feature a map of Kansas City
When the Kansas City Current revealed its official branding and logos after the club brought professional women's soccer back to KC, the color teal was in everything. When you visit the Current's training center, it's everywhere. Now at CPKC Stadium, the seats are teal. Advertisement Teal was everywhere ... except as a primary color for the kits. While making an appearance on side stripes, socks and shorts, teal was never the primary jersey color until now. On Thursday, the Kansas City Current revealed its new secondary kit, dubbed 'Teal Town.' The teal is everywhere: on the shirts, shorts and socks. Matching the club's 'Teal rising' mantra, the color has gone from the Current's socks to shorts and now shirts in the span of three seasons. Kansas City Current star Temwa Chawinga wearing the club's new 'Teal Town' jersey, which is new in 2025. The new look pays homage to downtown KC. While you won't see it on TV, up close the shirt features the grid and outlay of the Kansas City metro, even featuring the Northland and Missouri River. Advertisement The placement of the map correlates so that the club's logo and badge, worn on the left side of the chest, aligns perfectly with where CPKC Stadium would be on a map. KC Current players show off the club's new kit for the 2025 NWSL season. The teal jerseys are the first of their kind for a Current uniform, and include a map of the Kansas City area. 'The 2025 Teal Town Kit has been years in the making, and we are so excited to give fans and players the full teal kit they've been waiting for,' said Kansas City Current vice president and head of marketing Jocelyn Monroe in the club's release. 'The attention to detail within the design reflects the identity and values of the organization. The kit is tattooed with our city map, highlighting our pride in representing Kansas City. This season, the team will literally carry the city across their hearts.' Advertisement The KC Current main kit sponsor will continue to be United Way of Greater Kansas City, which is featured on the front of the kit. A portion of the revenue from kit sales will be donated to United Way of Greater Kansas City. The Kansas City Current's Claire Hutton shows off the back of the club's new jersey for the 2025 season. The Current are sporting teal jerseys for the first time. The team's primary kit will remain the red jersey and shorts worn last season, with teal socks. As Kansas City thaws out from last week's deep freeze, the Current players have been enjoying the sunshine during their preseason in Florida. The 2025 season begins on March 15, when Kansas City faces the Portland Thorns at 11:30 a.m. central at CPKC Stadium. Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NWSL midseason review: League leaders, most improved and MVP frontrunners
The NWSL is officially on a summer break. Thirteen weeks into the season, every team has played every other team once, with the reverse fixtures taking place after the regular season restart on Aug. 1. Advertisement This setup provides an ideal balance to measure how individual teams and players compare. At the midway point, Kansas City Current are eight points clear at the top, ahead of Orlando Pride, San Diego Wave and Washington Spirit — three of those four teams were NWSL playoff semifinalists last year, with the Californians replacing Gotham FC. Before we look ahead to the international tournaments later this summer, 's women's soccer staff takes stock of where things stand in the league at the break… The team in the best form It's the least sexy and most obvious answer, but the Kansas City Current have been the team to beat since the season kicked off. When they're at their best, as they were against Gotham FC on June 7 (a 2-1 away win), they essentially eliminate any notion of this season's championship going to anybody else. Advertisement From Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena's league-high six shutouts to the amped-up defensive contributions of Kayla Sharples and recent USWNT call-up Izzy Rodriguez and the continued attacking supremacy of 2024 NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga alongside the revival of Bia Zaneratto, the Current have been superlative from top to bottom. Their biggest challengers heading into the second half of the season will be themselves and their ability to keep the momentum built up so far going over the break. The team that needs a rest Last season, Washington choreographed a midseason coaching change from interim boss Adrián González to Jonatan Giráldez. González had vaulted the Spirit into the top four places of the NWSL standings, largely taking cues from what Giráldez hoped to install upon arriving from his previous post at FC Barcelona last June at the end of the European season. Advertisement This year, they are hitting rewind as owner Michelle Kang appointed (or, perhaps, reassigned) Giráldez to helm another of her women's clubs, OL Lyonnes of France. González, who had dropped down to an assistant position, was once again given the job, ensuring some continuity through another midseason swap. With Giráldez returning to Europe, it's unclear how much his ideology will remain in González's plans. In some multi-club football groups, each team tries to keep a unified ideology. If that dogma isn't being embraced, perhaps we'll see what style González himself wants Washington to adopt without having to hand the keys over, like last year. Their season has also been riddled with injuries. Washington entered 2025 without vital defensive midfielder Andi Sullivan, while last year's star rookie tandem of Hal Hershfelt and Croix Bethune only recently returned to fitness. Ouleye Sarr was placed on the season-ending injury list with a back issue, while Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman are also currently absent, recovering from their respective ailments. For reasons of style, substance, and strengthening alike, the summer break could not come at a better time for Washington. The move of the summer (so far) The summer's only just begun, but the Spirit's signing of Italy international forward Sofia Cantore from Juventus, who were crowned Italian champions in April, has been the most tantalizing so far. Advertisement Though she isn't eligible to join the Spirit until July 1, Cantore will be the first from her country to play in the NWSL, which speaks both to the breadth of the league's international reach and the extent of the ambitions in the Italian women's game. The 25-year-old plays with tenacity and a sense of adventure, which makes for an exciting complement to the likes of Gift Monday or Hatch in Washington's attack. A new opportunity with intra-league loans It's rare to see the general manager of a team in crisis backing their decision-making to members of the media. It's especially rare for them to say they're wise due to their frugality. Advertisement 'We are the only team in the last 15 months who hasn't spent a dime on the transfer market,' Chicago Stars general manager Richard Feuz told The Equalizer last month, before later adding: 'If I want to have an economical balance, a positive economical balance, I need to trade more than spend.' Trade value is determined by the market of potential suitors. Chicago is one place (and one point) above the bottom of the table, with one win from the 13 games. With USWNT forward Mallory Swanson out for the season due to her pregnancy, the team may not want to part with its most promising players (Jameese Joseph or Ally Schlegel, for example) or supporting stars (Julia Grosso, Sam Staab and Ludmila, to name three). Lucky for Feuz, there's a new mechanism coming to NWSL this summer in the form of intra-league loans, which allow teams to send their players to others within the league temporarily for the first time. Advertisement At this point, Feuz will be hoping to figure out who can be in Chicago's core for the 2026 season and beyond. In the meantime, bringing in players on loan from other NWSL teams who need starting minutes could be a good way to raise the squad's level on the cheap without complicating his future planning around Swanson. Most radical style change Last year, the San Diego Wave followed up their 2023 NWSL Shield win by falling to 10th in the 14-team table. Alex Morgan's retirement and Jaedyn Shaw's departure indicated that this would be a new era of Wave soccer — one overseen by former Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall. Under Eidevall, San Diego has kept more of the ball than in 2024, especially in the middle third of the field. This is allowing them to have greater control over each game, taking touches off the opponent's feet. It sets the tone for a truly patient game model, one that looks to keep opponents from setting the initiative while giving ample opportunity for San Diego's players to pick their moments to break the lull with something audacious. Advertisement It's working wonders. San Diego enters the break third in the standings, a point behind reigning champion Orlando and one above 2024 runners-up Washington. Forward Delphine Cascarino has set the tempo from her position at right wing, with three goals and five assists, while 13 different players have scored at least once in a very balanced squad. Even with Maria Sanchez off to Tigres of Mexico, San Diego is once again fun to watch and should still be in a playoff place at season's end. Early MVP frontrunners I still think it's too early to call anyone the definitive frontrunner, but Just Women's Sports' podcast host and writer Claire Watkins' thought that Chawinga has the best shot of being the NWSL's first back-to-back MVP looked better and better after the Current cruised through the first half of the year. If an injury doesn't keep her out of the mix for long when the NWSL returns, Chawinga's own teammate Debinha might have a legit shout at the award, too. For non-Kansas City contenders, San Diego's Cascarino has my attention. Advertisement Chawinga for a repeat I agree with Meg about it being still too early to call. While the NWSL will now enjoy a brief pause, several players are heading to major national-team competitions this summer, where anything can happen. If Debinha can avoid injury in the second half of the season, I can see her (finally) being named league MVP after earning MVP honors three times before in other forms (NWSL Championship MVP in 2019, and NWSL Challenge Cup MVP in 2021 and 2022). Her consistency as a player is what makes her great. I'm going with Esther Gonzalez in her current run of form (10 goals in 13 games for Gotham FC) Advertisement For all of San Diego's struggles in 2024, Cascarino was largely impactful after arriving in the summer from the team now known as OL Lyonne. She's changed many games with her on-ball ability and generous chance creation. Tack on helping the Wave vault back from the cellar to the league's upper level and she checks the boxes of an ideal MVP candidate. Midseason best XI created a combined best XI for the first half of the season, voting on the final placement. The formation and positioning are not exact, but the writers landed on a goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three attacking players. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Advertisement Portland Thorns, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, North Carolina Courage, OL Reign, Orlando Pride, Gotham FC, Kansas City Current, Washington Spirit, Angel City, Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave, Utah Royals FC, Bay FC, NWSL, UK Women's Football 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NWSL midseason review: League leaders, most improved and MVP frontrunners
The NWSL is officially on a summer break. Thirteen weeks into the season, every team has played every other team once, with the reverse fixtures taking place after the regular season restart on Aug. 1. This setup provides an ideal balance to measure how individual teams and players compare. At the midway point, Kansas City Current are eight points clear at the top, ahead of Orlando Pride, San Diego Wave and Washington Spirit — three of those four teams were NWSL playoff semifinalists last year, with the Californians replacing Gotham FC. Advertisement Before we look ahead to the international tournaments later this summer, The Athletic's women's soccer staff takes stock of where things stand in the league at the break… It's the least sexy and most obvious answer, but the Kansas City Current have been the team to beat since the season kicked off. When they're at their best, as they were against Gotham FC on June 7 (a 2-1 away win), they essentially eliminate any notion of this season's championship going to anybody else. From Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena's league-high six shutouts to the amped-up defensive contributions of Kayla Sharples and recent USWNT call-up Izzy Rodriguez and the continued attacking supremacy of 2024 NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga alongside the revival of Bia Zaneratto, the Current have been superlative from top to bottom. Their biggest challengers heading into the second half of the season will be themselves and their ability to keep the momentum built up so far going over the break. — Tamerra Griffin Last season, Washington choreographed a midseason coaching change from interim boss Adrián González to Jonatan Giráldez. González had vaulted the Spirit into the top four places of the NWSL standings, largely taking cues from what Giráldez hoped to install upon arriving from his previous post at FC Barcelona last June at the end of the European season. This year, they are hitting rewind as owner Michelle Kang appointed (or, perhaps, reassigned) Giráldez to helm another of her women's clubs, OL Lyonnes of France. González, who had dropped down to an assistant position, was once again given the job, ensuring some continuity through another midseason swap. With Giráldez returning to Europe, it's unclear how much his ideology will remain in González's plans. In some multi-club football groups, each team tries to keep a unified ideology. If that dogma isn't being embraced, perhaps we'll see what style González himself wants Washington to adopt without having to hand the keys over, like last year. Advertisement Their season has also been riddled with injuries. Washington entered 2025 without vital defensive midfielder Andi Sullivan, while last year's star rookie tandem of Hal Hershfelt and Croix Bethune only recently returned to fitness. Ouleye Sarr was placed on the season-ending injury list with a back issue, while Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman are also currently absent, recovering from their respective ailments. For reasons of style, substance, and strengthening alike, the summer break could not come at a better time for Washington. — Jeff Rueter The summer's only just begun, but the Spirit's signing of Italy international forward Sofia Cantore from Juventus, who were crowned Italian champions in April, has been the most tantalizing so far. Though she isn't eligible to join the Spirit until July 1, Cantore will be the first from her country to play in the NWSL, which speaks both to the breadth of the league's international reach and the extent of the ambitions in the Italian women's game. The 25-year-old plays with tenacity and a sense of adventure, which makes for an exciting complement to the likes of Gift Monday or Hatch in Washington's attack. — Griffin It's rare to see the general manager of a team in crisis backing their decision-making to members of the media. It's especially rare for them to say they're wise due to their frugality. 'We are the only team in the last 15 months who hasn't spent a dime on the transfer market,' Chicago Stars general manager Richard Feuz told The Equalizer last month, before later adding: 'If I want to have an economical balance, a positive economical balance, I need to trade more than spend.' Trade value is determined by the market of potential suitors. Chicago is one place (and one point) above the bottom of the table, with one win from the 13 games. With USWNT forward Mallory Swanson out for the season due to her pregnancy, the team may not want to part with its most promising players (Jameese Joseph or Ally Schlegel, for example) or supporting stars (Julia Grosso, Sam Staab and Ludmila, to name three). Lucky for Feuz, there's a new mechanism coming to NWSL this summer in the form of intra-league loans, which allow teams to send their players to others within the league temporarily for the first time. At this point, Feuz will be hoping to figure out who can be in Chicago's core for the 2026 season and beyond. In the meantime, bringing in players on loan from other NWSL teams who need starting minutes could be a good way to raise the squad's level on the cheap without complicating his future planning around Swanson. Advertisement — Rueter Last year, the San Diego Wave followed up their 2023 NWSL Shield win by falling to 10th in the 14-team table. Alex Morgan's retirement and Jaedyn Shaw's departure indicated that this would be a new era of Wave soccer — one overseen by former Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall. Under Eidevall, San Diego has kept more of the ball than in 2024, especially in the middle third of the field. This is allowing them to have greater control over each game, taking touches off the opponent's feet. It sets the tone for a truly patient game model, one that looks to keep opponents from setting the initiative while giving ample opportunity for San Diego's players to pick their moments to break the lull with something audacious. It's working wonders. San Diego enters the break third in the standings, a point behind reigning champion Orlando and one above 2024 runners-up Washington. Forward Delphine Cascarino has set the tempo from her position at right wing, with three goals and five assists, while 13 different players have scored at least once in a very balanced squad. Even with Maria Sanchez off to Tigres of Mexico, San Diego is once again fun to watch and should still be in a playoff place at season's end. — Rueter I still think it's too early to call anyone the definitive frontrunner, but Just Women's Sports' podcast host and writer Claire Watkins' thought that Chawinga has the best shot of being the NWSL's first back-to-back MVP looked better and better after the Current cruised through the first half of the year. If an injury doesn't keep her out of the mix for long when the NWSL returns, Chawinga's own teammate Debinha might have a legit shout at the award, too. For non-Kansas City contenders, San Diego's Cascarino has my attention. — Meg Linehan Chawinga for a repeat — Griffin I agree with Meg about it being still too early to call. While the NWSL will now enjoy a brief pause, several players are heading to major national-team competitions this summer, where anything can happen. If Debinha can avoid injury in the second half of the season, I can see her (finally) being named league MVP after earning MVP honors three times before in other forms (NWSL Championship MVP in 2019, and NWSL Challenge Cup MVP in 2021 and 2022). Her consistency as a player is what makes her great. — Melanie Anzidei Advertisement I'm going with Esther Gonzalez in her current run of form (10 goals in 13 games for Gotham FC) — Asli Pelit For all of San Diego's struggles in 2024, Cascarino was largely impactful after arriving in the summer from the team now known as OL Lyonne. She's changed many games with her on-ball ability and generous chance creation. Tack on helping the Wave vault back from the cellar to the league's upper level and she checks the boxes of an ideal MVP candidate. — Rueter The Athletic created a combined best XI for the first half of the season, voting on the final placement. The formation and positioning are not exact, but the writers landed on a goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three attacking players.
15-06-2025
- Sport
Chawinga's late goal seals Kansas City Current's fifth straight win, 4-2 over Racing Louisville
Temwa Chawinga scored her eighth goal of the season and the Kansas City Current won their fifth straight game, beating Racing Louisville 4-2 in the National Women's Soccer League on Saturday night. Elsewhere in the NWSL, the Chicago Stars were held to a 2-2 tie with the Seattle Reign; and the North Carolina Courage snatched a late 2-1 win against Angel City. The Current (10-2-0) bullied Louisville (5-5-2) early and had a 3-0 lead by the 19th minute. Louisville defender Lauren Millet headed into her own net for the opening goal after just two minutes. Michelle Cooper then finished off a counterattack at the near post in the 15th before Bia Zaneratto got the third from the center of the box in the 19th. Louisville's Janine Sonis scored off a cross from Millet in the 62nd minute to make it 3-1. Uchenna Kanu's header from a corner kick in the 88th then made it 3-2. Chawinga's strike in the fifth minute of stoppage time made it 4-2. She has scored in all five games of the team's win streak. Ludmila scored two first-half goals for the Stars but the Reign came back with a pair of goals in the final minutes for the draw at Chicago's Soldier Field. The Stars (1-8-3) had a 2-0 lead going into the final three minutes of regulation but the Reign (5-4-2) stole a point at the end. Ludmila scored her first in the 11th minute with a solo effort, picking up the ball in her own half and dribbling 60 yards before shooting past Claudia Dickey. She made it 2-0 in the 13th minute, after a long ball over the top of the Reign backline played her through one-on-one with Dickey. Lynn Biyendolo got the first of Seattle's goals in the 87th minute and Jordyn Bugg found the equalizer in the 89th. Nearly 27,000 fans attended the game that was part of a double header with Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire. Brianna Pinto scored just seven minutes after coming off the bench for the North Carolina Courage in a 2-1 win against Angel City. The Courage (4-5-3) had lost all three of their previous visits to BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Cortnee Vine had made it 1-0 in the first minute of the game when she slid the ball into the net from a cross by Manaka Matsukubo. Riley Tiernan scored her seventh goal of the season to bring Angel City (4-5-3) level at 1-1 in the 11th minute, heading in a cross from Gisele Thompson. The winner came from a scramble in the box in the fifth minute of stoppage time. After Angel City defender Miyabi Moriya blocked a shot on the line, Pinto scooped up the ball and fired it in from five yards out.
Associated Press
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Chawinga's late goal seals Kansas City Current's fifth straight win, 4-2 over Racing Louisville
Temwa Chawinga scored her eighth goal of the season and the Kansas City Current won their fifth straight game, beating Racing Louisville 4-2 in the National Women's Soccer League on Saturday night. Elsewhere in the NWSL, the Chicago Stars were held to a 2-2 tie with the Seattle Reign; and the North Carolina Courage snatched a late 2-1 win against Angel City. The Current (10-2-0) bullied Louisville (5-5-2) early and had a 3-0 lead by the 19th minute. Louisville defender Lauren Millet headed into her own net for the opening goal after just two minutes. Michelle Cooper then finished off a counterattack at the near post in the 15th before Bia Zaneratto got the third from the center of the box in the 19th. Louisville's Janine Sonis scored off a cross from Millet in the 62nd minute to make it 3-1. Uchenna Kanu's header from a corner kick in the 88th then made it 3-2. Chawinga's strike in the fifth minute of stoppage time made it 4-2. She has scored in all five games of the team's win streak. Ludmila scores twice as Stars drop lead for draw Ludmila scored two first-half goals for the Stars but the Reign came back with a pair of goals in the final minutes for the draw at Chicago's Soldier Field. The Stars (1-8-3) had a 2-0 lead going into the final three minutes of regulation but the Reign (5-4-2) stole a point at the end. Ludmila scored her first in the 11th minute with a solo effort, picking up the ball in her own half and dribbling 60 yards before shooting past Claudia Dickey. She made it 2-0 in the 13th minute, after a long ball over the top of the Reign backline played her through one-on-one with Dickey. Lynn Biyendolo got the first of Seattle's goals in the 87th minute and Jordyn Bugg found the equalizer in the 89th. Nearly 27,000 fans attended the game that was part of a double header with Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire. Substitute Pinto scores winner for CourageBrianna Pinto scored just seven minutes after coming off the bench for the North Carolina Courage in a 2-1 win against Angel City. The Courage (4-5-3) had lost all three of their previous visits to BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Cortnee Vine had made it 1-0 in the first minute of the game when she slid the ball into the net from a cross by Manaka Matsukubo. Riley Tiernan scored her seventh goal of the season to bring Angel City (4-5-3) level at 1-1 in the 11th minute, heading in a cross from Gisele Thompson. The winner came from a scramble in the box in the fifth minute of stoppage time. After Angel City defender Miyabi Moriya blocked a shot on the line, Pinto scooped up the ball and fired it in from five yards out. ___ AP soccer:
