Washington Spirit can't recover from first half chaos in 2-1 loss at Kansas City Current: Match report

The Washington Spirit weren't able to assure themselves of a home playoff game just yet, falling 2-1 on the road against the Kansas City Current on Sunday.

Last week's massive win over NJ/NY Gotham FC was a major lift, but a wild first half at CPKC Stadium didn't go the Spirit's way. Clara Luvanga gave Washington an early lead, but Lo'eau LaBonta and Vanessa DiBernardo offered a quick-fire double in response. The visitors had the advantage in the second half, but couldn't find an equalizer amid several chances.

Perhaps more worryingly, the Spirit also saw Hal Hershfelt leave with an early injury, casting a cloud over the team's midfield with the playoffs less than two weeks away.

The early pressure came from the hosts, with Sandy MacIver having to come off her line to reduce the angle as Croix Bethune and Kayla Sharples attacked a 7th-minute flick-on from Haley Hopkins.

However, just as the Spirit had started to settle a furious tempo, they received a gift to take at 13th-minute lead. Lorena simply didn't control a back-pass from Gabby Robinson well enough, and the goalkeeper perhaps underestimated Clara Luvanga's closing speed.

The Spirit newcomer didn't need a second invitation, touching the ball away from Lorena and passing it into an empty net.

The lead lasted for a matter of seconds rather than minutes. From the ensuing kickoff, the Current pushed forward through Michelle Cooper, whose low service from the right was blocked but not cleared. LaBonta pounced on the loose ball, hammering a shot that deflected heavily off of Esme Morgan before bouncing across the line.

The chaos continued, with Kansas City taking the lead in the 17th minute after another goalkeeper turnover. The Spirit were attempting to play through pressure at the back, but MacIver's stray touch allowed Haley Hopkins to poke the ball free. The striker passed back to Croix Bethune, who teed up DiBernardo for a simple finish.

A recycled free kick gave the Spirit a look at a potential equalizer, with Leicy Santos providing an inspired pass to slip Trinity Rodman in behind, but the U.S. women's national team forward's angled shot only found the outside netting.

That duo linked up again just before halftime, with Santos sending Rodman in from midfield, but this time the attacker's shot from the right whistled wide. Going the other way, Gabby Carle had to make a crucial intervention to deny Cooper a 1-v-1 with MacIver in the final seconds before halftime.

Santos' cross towards Luvanga nearly crept in at the back post without being touched as play resumed, while Rodman's feed slipped the Tanzania striker in behind before Current center back Gabby Robinson did well to defuse the threat.

A strange sequence nearly put the Current further ahead, with Izzy Rodriguez lunging to keep a bouncing ball in on the endline. The left back succeeded, somehow floating a chip to Cooper at the back post, but the USWNT winger's volley was skewed well wide.

Still, the traffic was mostly flowing in the other direction. Rodman went close twice with shots that zipped high, while Lucia Di Guglielmo's cross looped up and went just wide after a deflection caught Lorena out. Rodman's 77th-minute effort, which came after rounding Laney Rouse, forced a save, and Rosemonde Kouassi's attempt to turn home the rebound was denied.

Kansas City moved into a 5-4-1 late, bringing Elizabeth Ball on as an extra center back. Ball was booked almost immediately for a foul to stop Rodman's barnstorming slol run from deep in the Spirit half, while Monique Ngock's attempt at an acrobatic volley didn't pan out.

However, all that second-half pressure went for naught, as the Current saw out stoppage time without further threat.

The loss means the Spirit (16-4-9) have not yet clinched a home playoff game in the NWSL playoffs, and ends their chances at a first-ever NWSL Shield. Washington can guarantee a quarterfinal at Audi Field by claiming at least one point in their regular-season finale next Sunday, when they host the Chicago Stars. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET.

Highlights will be added when they are made available.

Box score — NWSL regular season (game 29)
10/25/2026

Kansas City Current 2 (LaBonta 14, DiBernardo 17)
Washington Spirit 1 (Luvanga 13)

Lineups:
Current (4231): Lorena; Laney Rouse, Gabby Robinson, Kayla Sharples, Izzy Rodriguez; Lo'eau LaBonta (C), Vanessa DiBernardo (Rocky Rodríguez 75); Michelle Cooper (Elizabeth Ball 84), Croix Bethune (Debinha 60), Temwa Chawinga; Haley Hopkins

Spirit (433): Sandy MacIver; Lucia Di Guglielmo (Paige Metayer 78), Tara Rudd, Esme Morgan, Gabby Carle; Hal Hershfelt (Mélissa Bethi 20), Andi Sullivan (C), Leicy Santos (Monique Ngock 63); Sofia Cantore (Rosemonde Kouassi 46), Clara Luvanga (Ashley Hatch 63), Trinity Rodman

Bookings:
Current - Bethune 48, Ball 88
Spirit - None

Referee: Alyssa Pennington
Weather: Sunny, breezy, 80°
Attendance: Disputed