Match Report: Kansas City Current Maintains Lead Atop NWSL Desk After 2-0 Victory at Portland Thorns

PORTLAND, Ore. (Aug. 23, 2025) — The Kansas City Current (14-2-1, 43 pts., 1st place) notched its sixth consecutive National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) highway victory Saturday evening, defeating the Portland Thorns (7-5-5, 26 pts., fifth place) 2-0 at Providence Park. Defender Ellie Wheeler acquired the scoring began simply 55 seconds into the match with a superbly positioned headed purpose on a feed from Izzy Rodriguez. Wheeler then arrange ahead Temwa Chawinga’s breakaway end within the 71st minute because the Current prolonged their unbeaten streak to 10 consecutive matches.

Goalkeeper Lorena earned her NWSL-leading ninth clear sheet of the 2025 common season, recording 4 essential saves as Kansas City earned its tenth shutout of the 2025 marketing campaign for a brand new single-season franchise document. Lorena is now the 14th goalkeeper in league historical past to achieve 9 common season clear sheets. Kansas City, which maintains its 12-point benefit on the prime of the desk, now has 5 straight clear sheets to equal the longest common season shutout streak in league historical past.

“We stayed disciplined and organized throughout the game….there were so many good things the team did tonight against a very good opponent in a hostile environment — loud, energetic — so I can say that I’m very proud of the team,” mentioned Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski. “Tonight, we did a lot of things well. I knew there would be moments where we would suffer. I’m proud of the players that accepted that fact and were willing to suffer and persevere through those difficult moments and grind out an important victory for us.”

Kansas City utilized stress from the opening whistle to discover a breakthrough early on. After profitable a throw-in in Portland’s attacking third from kickoff, Rodriguez hoisted the ball for ahead Bia Zaneratto within the penalty space. Zaneratto held the ball up and returned it to Rodriguez on the left wing, and Rodriguez rolled the ball ahead earlier than firing a curled ball towards a wide-open Wheeler. Wheeler made no mistake along with her alternative, evading Portland’s protection with a looping run that made her free on the again submit. She met the cross completely and despatched in a header to the highest left nook to present Kansas City a lead it in the end wouldn’t relinquish.

Wheeler’s purpose got here simply 55 seconds into the match, marking the third quickest purpose of the 2025 common season and the second quickest common season purpose in membership historical past. It additionally marked Wheeler’s first purpose of the 12 months and second profession common season purpose. Kansas City prolonged its NWSL-best first half purpose rely to 21 with Wheeler’s early rating, and the Current has now outscored opponents 21-1 within the opening 45 minutes this season.

The help marked Rodriguez’s fifth of the season, which leads the league. Rodriguez tied fellow defender Hailie Mace’s membership document of 10 common season assists.

Lorena, who was first known as into motion Saturday evening with a routine cease from distance within the sixth minute, made an amazing diving cease within the twelfth minute to protect the Current’s benefit. Portland ahead Deyna Castellanos drove a shot from lengthy vary heading in the right direction, however Lorena expertly dove to disclaim the house staff’s likelihood and recovered properly to gather the follow-up cross into Kansas City’s penalty space.

The Current generated a number of threatening scoring alternatives as the primary half progressed and, simply earlier than halftime, Chawinga rattled the submit from inside Portland’s penalty space after Zaneratto performed her by on purpose within the forty fifth minute. The effort marked the ultimate motion of the opening half because the Current took a 1-0 lead into the locker room.

Kansas City’s protection once more got here up massive within the second half with a number of key interventions. In the 61st minute, defender Kayla Sharples made a well-timed sort out to dam a shot heading in the right direction from Castellanos. Three minutes later, Lorena made one other diving save to maintain out an effort from defender Reyna Reyes. Thorns midfielder Mimi Alidou hammered a goal-bound effort within the 66th minute that appeared destined for the again of the web, however Lorena as soon as once more made an unimaginable dive to maintain the ball out.

Five minutes later, Wheeler launched a ball behind Portland’s again line for Chawinga, who met the cross in stride for a breakaway. Chawinga took a number of touches ahead and rolled the ball below Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold and into the middle of the purpose to place the Current up by two. The purpose marked Chawinga’s eleventh of the season as she now regains the Golden Boot race lead along with her two assists profitable the tiebreaker. Additionally, Chawinga is now the primary participant in NWSL historical past to attain in six straight common season highway matches. Wheeler’s help marked the primary of her skilled profession.

The Thorns pushed for a lifeline because the second half wore on, however Kansas City did sufficient to maintain the hosts off the scoresheet to earn the 2-0 victory. The Current has now held opponents scoreless for 452 minutes of normal season play, the second longest streak in franchise historical past – one minute shy of the document of 453 minutes set earlier this season.

Midfielder Ally Sentnor made her first Current begin and logged 61 minutes. After being taken off the season ending damage (SEI) listing Friday, defender Gabrielle Robinson made her return for the primary time in 455 days. Kansas City additionally turned the second staff in NWSL historical past to beat Portland 5 consecutive occasions in common season play, with Seattle being the primary to take action in a five-match stretch from 2019 by 2021.

The Current closes their August slate at CPKC Stadium subsequent Saturday once they host the North Carolina Courage on Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m. CT. The match will broadcast nationally on ION and followers in Kansas City can catch a simulcast of the competition on KMCI, 38 the Spot. Fans can tune into the KC Current App to take heed to the match in English, Spanish or Portuguese, and the match will broadcast regionally over the air on 90.9 The Bridge.

Limited single-match tickets for 2025 common season dwelling matches at the moment are on sale to most of the people. The greatest means to make sure you gained’t miss a second of the motion at CPKC Stadium is by becoming a member of the Current Club, the Current’s trailblazing fan membership expertise. Focused on making certain followers proceed to have the ability to entry unique alternatives, members can unlock particular advantages like precedence entry to single match tickets, members-only items and reductions, entry to stay and digital occasions, unique content material and extra. 2025 Season Ticket Member Account Holders are already enrolled in Current Club at no extra value. Click HERE for extra details about the Current Club. 

NWSL Match Report  
Match: Portland Thorns FC vs. Kansas City Current  
Date: August 23, 2025  
Venue: Providence Park, Portland, Ore.
Kickoff: 7:05 p.m. PT/9:05 p.m. CT 
Weather: 91 levels, sunny 
Attendance: 16,695

Discipline  
56’ Portland – Castellanos (Yellow)
77’ Portland Bench – (Yellow)
90+8’ Kansas City – Robinson (Red) 
90+10’ Portland – Hiatt (Yellow)

Scoring  
1’ Kansas City – Wheeler (I. Rodriguez)
71’ Kansas City – Chawinga (Wheeler)

Scoring Summary

Portland Thorns Lineup: Arnold, Reyes (72’ Spaanstra), Obaze (81’ McKenzie), Hiatt, Perry, Coffey ©, Sugita, Fleming (58’ Alidou), Moultrie, Castellanos (81’ Dufour), Turner (72’ Tordin) 
Unused Substitutes: Bixby, Torpey, Powell, Daiane

Kansas City Current Lineup: Lorena, Wheeler, Mace, Sharples, I. Rodriguez, LaBonta ©, Hutton (79’ R. Rodríguez), Sentnor (61’ Debinha), Prince (61’ Cooper), Zaneratto (79’ Hopkins), Chawinga (90’ Robinson)
Unused Substitutes: Ivory, Steigleder, Long, Feist