KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City Current fought back from an early deficit Friday night but settled for a 2-2 draw against NWSL points leader San Diego Wave FC at CPKC Stadium.
The home side trailed after a quick goal from the visitors, then saw midfielder Croix Bethune knot the score in the 52nd minute with a volley created by defender Laney Rouse. Bethune later created the go-ahead chance that forward Temwa Chawinga finished in a counterattack nine minutes after her equalizer, giving the Current a 2-1 advantage.
San Diego answered in the late stages to force the 2-2 final. The draw leaves Kansas City at 8-6-1 with 25 points, in fifth place, while San Diego improved to 9-2-5 and 29 points.
Milestones and returns
The match featured milestones for the Current’s back line. Defender Izzy Rodriguez made her 100th regular-season appearance — becoming the 42nd player in NWSL history to reach 100 appearances with the same club. Fellow defender Gabrielle Robinson marked her 50th regular-season appearance.
Midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo made her first appearance at CPKC Stadium in 393 days, coming on as a second-half substitute.
Match details and turning points
- San Diego opened the scoring in the sixth minute on a sliding finish by forward Trinity Byars.
- Kansas City generated several dangerous chances through the first half before Bethune’s equalizer early in the second half.
- Chawinga’s breakaway goal provided a temporary lead, but the visitors found a late equalizer to salvage a point.
Current head coach Chris Armas said the team’s second-half performance better reflected how they want to play, after overcoming the early setback.
“When you play a good team like San Diego, and they're good on the road, you take the first punch and then it's an uphill battle,” Armas said. “What we wanted to do at halftime was ramp things up even more...the second half really looked and felt more like us, where we can overwhelm teams and force mistakes. We thought the second half was excellent and a good response against a good team.”
| Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Current | 8-6-1 | 25 |
| San Diego Wave FC | 9-2-5 | 29 |
The draw gives the Current a single point at home while demonstrating resilience against the league leader. Fans looking ahead should note the club’s position in the standings remains tight, with upcoming matches likely to define the team’s stretch run toward playoff positioning.
Coverage will continue following the Current's next fixtures and roster updates.
