Kansas City Current pursue NWSL Playoffs glory behind Temwa Chawinga as league's top scorer manages injury

Kansas City Current led the NWSL in goals scored (57) and nearly half of them were thanks to the 2024 NWSL Golden Boot winner, Temwa Chawinga. With 19 different goal scorers on the team this season, no other player has had more of an impact on the Current, so plenty of attention will be on her status for the upcoming quarterfinal. The Current head into the NWSL playoffs as quarterfinal hosts, set to take on North Carolina Courage on Saturday at noon on CBS.

Kansas City recently won the NWSL X Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup where Chawinga scored two goals before subbing out of the final near the hour mark. The Malawi international was then listed as unavailable for the club's final regular season match against Chicago Red Stars, but Kansas City head coach Vlatko Andonovski clarified that it was more of a precautionary decision to keep her out after picking up a knock during warmups in San Antonio ahead of the Summer Cup final.

Now the club's focus is on North Carolina, with the hopes that a week off for their leading goal scorer came at the right time, but even if Chawinga is on limited minutes for round one of the playoffs, the Current will have an attack by committee that is equally dangerous. That includes Brazilian international Debhina, who is second on the team in shot-creating actions (87), just behind Chawinga (96).

"I think as a team, it's important for us to know that if the opponents are going to close down Temwa -- they're going to bring an extra player, they're going to shift and defend different -- that we have forwards [who] can change the Game as well. We have Debinha, we have Michelle Cooper, which we have Nichelle Prince," Andonovski said after their final regular season victory. 

While the Current aren't hurting for forwards, their midfielders are equally efficient in providing offensive sparks. Vanessa DiBernardo has five goals and six assists this season, while long-time Kansas City veteran Lo'eau LaBonta added six goals of her own while tallying one assist. 

It is very likely that the Current's proactive decision to rest Chawinga will pay off ahead of the quarterfinal. There's no official update on her status at this time, but even if she's on limited minutes, there's no doubt that her presence is a major asset.

"She's special. I mean, obviously, her ability to score goals is something that makes her different, but there's so many other things. Obviously the goals are, what catches everyone's eye, the stats, the assists, but Temwa is a player that makes a team better in so many different ways," Andonovski told Attacking Third on Thursday.  

"Whether it's defensively or offensively, she helps. She helps the team. Whether it's the press, or winning the ball, or helping the defense, but then on the other side, in the build-up, or creating space for the other players. She's a special player, and she's really fun to watch. I mean, obviously we see her in the minutes, or you see her 90 minutes in the game, but I see her every day in training and some of the things that she does. It's fun."