Kansas Metropolis Present ahead Temwa Chawinga turned the quickest participant in NWSL historical past to attain 25 profession common season targets on Friday when she scored in a 1-0 victory over the Orlando Satisfaction. Chawinga reached the feat in 34 video games.
“Blissful for her, but in addition, I do not suppose Temwa’s going to cease right here,” Kansas Metropolis head coach Vlatko Andonovski stated. “She’s obtained much more to supply.”
However Chawinga left the match within the 89th minute because of an damage.
Andonovski confirmed that Chawinga’s subject on Friday was associated to an unspecified leg damage that the 2024 NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner has handled all through this season.
The win prolonged the Present’s lead atop the NWSL desk to 4 factors and avenged a 2024 semifinal loss to the Satisfaction, who gained the NWSL Defend and NWSL Championship final 12 months.
Kansas Metropolis, anchored by centerback Kayla Sharples, put in a gritty defensive efficiency towards a proficient Satisfaction assault.
Chawinga scored within the 52nd minute when she ran onto a ball excessive that circled Orlando’s protection.
“I am very pleased with the workforce,” Andonovski stated. “To return right here and win a recreation, you must not simply be superb and present numerous high quality, you must have a coronary heart. If you do not have a coronary heart, you haven’t any probability. And in the present day, I believe we confirmed coronary heart as a workforce.”
The victory got here at a doubtlessly excessive value, nonetheless. Midfielder Debinha and centerback Alana Prepare dinner additionally left the match injured within the second half.
Prepare dinner went straight down the tunnel to the locker room after having her left knee evaluated by the coach.
Andonovski stated he didn’t have any particular info to share on any of the accidents, “however all I can say is that I hope that it is not something severe and we’ve them again quickly.”
Orlando has now misplaced three of its final 5 video games and gained solely as soon as in that stretch, a 3-2 win over Angel Metropolis FC after happening 2-0. The Satisfaction equalized in stoppage time towards the North Carolina Braveness final week to salvage some extent.
Orlando began final season on a 23-game unbeaten streak.
With the loss and the San Diego Wave’s 1-0 win over Gotham FC on Friday, the Satisfaction fell right into a tie for third. The defending champions may fall so far as fifth place by the tip of the weekend, relying on different outcomes.
Andonovski was fast to warning that “the season is lengthy” when requested about his workforce’s cushion within the NWSL Defend race, however he known as Friday’s victory a confidence enhance.
The Present’s aim continues to be to win a trophy, one thing they did not do final 12 months regardless of beginning the 2024 season on a 15-game unbeaten streak and setting a league file for targets scored (57).
“We wish to be the most effective workforce,” Sharples stated. “We wish to be peaking on the proper moments. We wish to win a remaining, and that is crucial recreation. So, we simply need to get the job achieved in these video games with the intention to get there.”
