KC Current hosts Orlando on Saturday in potential NWSL Game of the Year

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Saturday, the Kansas City Current and Orlando Pride face off in potentially one of the best matches in the NWSL this season.

It has all the makings of a heavyweight prizefight.

Both teams undefeated at 10-0-5, +19 goal differential, and sit at 1 and 2 in the standings. Check.

Seventeen-match undefeated streak for KC (a new NWSL all-time record) and a 16-match undefeated streak for Orlando. Check.

African breakout stars Temwa Chawinga and Barbra Banda tied for the Golden Boot at 11 goals apiece. Check.

The Current’s mentality under head coach Vlatko Andonovski has been to treat every game like it’s the game of the year. When asked about Orlando after Friday’s match against Houston Dash, goalkeeper AD Franch said the team hadn’t even talked about their next opponent because the game in front of them is the game to pay attention to.

“I think that the conversations going into our games are pretty similar or almost same, it’s the most important game of the season for us,” Andonovski said. “As we’ve said before, the one that is in front of us is the most important one, it’s not the one before or the one before that, and it’s not the one after that either, it’s this one and until this one is over, all the focus goes in the 90 minutes tomorrow.”

Now that this match is here, the players can get hyped up for what could be the best match of the season.

“I think we’re all ecstatic,” midfielder Claire Hutton said. Hutton was recently named to the United States U-20 women’s national team for her second camp with the squad.

“One game at a time so right now this is a game of the season just like Houston was game of the season last weekend. This is a big game and I think everybody here is prepared for it and hopefully, the crowd is because we’re gonna give you guys a show.”

“This is a very important game for us as a team. I think it will be blood to blood,” Banda said on Wednesday. Banda was recently named to Zambia’s Olympics roster.

“It will be a very tough game. Our aim is to go there and win. That’s the most [important] thing that we are preparing for. So it’s a very big game for us and we’re hoping we get good results out of it.”

Orlando has the edge defensively with 0.7 goals conceded per game, another best-in-the-league stat, while the Current sit at eighth with 1.3 goals conceded.

Banda is the star of Orlando’s show but they have quality everywhere showcased by six players headed to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Their Brazilian striker Marta is going to her sixth Olympics at 36 years old. Andonovski called her “the best player in women’s soccer of all time” with her six Best FIFA Women’s Player awards and four goals and one assist this season.

Attackers Summer Yates and another Brazilian Olympian Adriana round out their attack.

But the Pride’s underrated specialty has been their defense as they’ve only given up one goal since June and have only allowed up to two goals in a match this season. Goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse and the rest of the squad lead the league with seven clean sheets while having the best save percentage in the league at 82.8%.

“The backline is very good,” Andonovski said. “They’re very stingy. They don’t give up a lot of goals. You know, then you have [goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse]. I think she’s playing probably the best season in her career. They’re good individuals, well-coached, very organized. There’s a reason why they are where they’re at.”

Kansas City deserves all of their hype as well. They also have strengthened their defensive presence only allowing three goals in their last three matches.

Outside of Chawinga, Hutton has been one of the most important players on the pitch as an 18-year-old rookie. KC Brazilian sensations Bia Zaneratto and Debinha have been key pieces for them as well although Bia will be out for 6-8 weeks with a foot injury.

Vanessa DiBernardo has been immense for the club although she is questionable for Saturday with a head injury. Michelle Cooper is coming along as a winger. Defenders Stine Ballisager and Izzy Rodriguez are also having productive seasons on the backline.

Chawinga though, is still the real deal. She leads the NWSL with 17 goals and assists, one more than Banda.

Andonovski spotted Chawinga playing as a defensive midfielder for Swedish club Kvarnsvedens IK in 2018. When Andonovski was the head coach for Reign FC, it was difficult to get her to sign with the club.

“It was actually pretty expensive. The salary cap was very, very low at that time, and we couldn’t afford her,” he said. Chawinga went on to sign with Wuhan Jianghan University F.C. in the Chinese Super League and scored an astounding 83 goals in 84 games.

“I started talking to her agent before I even decided where I’m gonna end up [in] my career. The moment I knew that I’m going to be back in NWSL and started talking to NWSL teams was when I established the first contact with Temwa. And when I knew it was going to be Kansas City, then I’m glad she joined.”

Kansas City and Orlando have plenty of similarities: dynamic attackers, dangerous counter-pressing, organized tactics, and minimal chances allowed.

Pride head coach Seb Hines shared a tidbit of what he hopes will give Orlando the edge.

“They’re a very direct team, they like to get the ball from back to front,” Hines said about the Current. “So the first phase is going to be important, making sure that we get first contact with those aerial balls and the second balls and when the ball lands is really important because they like to transition into transition. And if they see space, they’ll play into the space.

“It’s really important that we’re together, we are compact. But also, anytime we’re defending, we’re always got in mind on being lethal in transition with our forwards. We have to do the first part effective, which we have done so far this year. How we transition is going to be really important to our success in the game.”

No matter the result, the match will surely be a chance for the country and the world to see the incredible talent that the NWSL has and the groundbreaking growth that the Current are pushing for their own club and for women’s soccer at CPKC Stadium in the last match before NWSL league play takes a break for the Olympics.

And both teams get to meet again in Orlando on September 13.

Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.

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