Match Recap: Kansas City Current Returns to Regular Season with Emphatic 3-0 Shutout at Denver Summit FC

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (July 3, 2026) – The Kansas City Current (8-5-0, 5th place, 24 pts.) emerged victorious in the first-ever meeting against NWSL expansion side Denver Summit FC (4-5-3, 10th place, 15 pts.), recording an emphatic 3-0 win on Friday night at DICK’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. Forward Michelle Cooper had her first career regular season brace with goals in the 35th and 81st minutes, both which were assisted by midfielder Croix Bethune for her third career multi-assist performance. Forward Temwa Chawinga then scored her eighth goal of the 2026 regular season in the 87th minute off of midfielder Rocky Rodriguez’s first career assist for Kansas City. 

“We created a lot of chances, and we didn’t give up. We got the shutout which we are really proud of,” said head coach Chris Armas. “We knew that Denver is a team that has been pretty hot lately and was going to have big support on the night. That's a good team. That's a game we have to be at our best and bring our A game. The first thing was stepping on the field with the right mentality, and we had a plan.”

The Current showed warning signs to the Summit’s defense early on. Defender Izzy Rodriguez’s corner in the 10th minute connected with fellow defender Gabrielle Robinson at the top of the six-yard box, whose header sailed just above the crossbar. The Current had another chance shortly after when a misplaced pass from Denver defender Ayo Oke forced Summit goalkeeper Abby Smith to make a sprinting recovery while holding off a charging Current forward Haley Hopkins, but Smith cleared the goal-bound ball right at the line. 

Denver’s first shot came in the 15th minute from forward Melissa Kössler which fell right into the hands of Kansas City goalkeeper Marisa Jordan. Jordan, who made her first NWSL regular season appearance for the Current, was called to action again soon after when another shot on target from Kössler forced a diving save.

The Current came out of the hydration break on the front foot to find the go-ahead goal in the 35th minute. Hopkins intercepted the ball at midfield which found Bethune, who played it out wide to an unmarked Cooper down the left. Cooper ran forward into the box and unleashed a right-footed strike past Smith and into the lower right corner. The goal was Cooper’s third this regular season and 15th of her regular season career while Bethune, playing in her 50th career regular season appearance, picked up her fourth assist of the 2026 campaign.

The visitors were then awarded a penalty kick a minute later when Summit defender Eva Gaetino committed a foul on Chawinga inside the box. Midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta stepped up to the spot, but her attempt went above the woodwork. 

Bethune had an opportunity in the first minute of added time with a close-range shot that was denied by Smith. The hosts then nearly found the equalizer with a first-touch look from defender Janine Sonis, but Jordan made an acrobatic save to steer the ball off course with an outstretched glove. Chawinga sent a shot past Smith in the final seconds of the opening frame, but Oke was there to clear it away to mark the last action of the first half as the Current went into the break with a 1-0 edge. 

Seeing her return to the pitch for the first time in 70 days was midfielder Debinha, who entered the match as a second-half substitute and nearly doubled Kansas City’s lead in the 74th minute. Left wide open at the top of the 18-yard box, Debinha received a pass from Chawinga and fired a strike that was ultimately pushed out by Smith.

Kansas City made it 2-0 in the 81st minute after the duo of Bethune and Cooper combined once again. The Current capitalized on a quick transition, as Bethune was able to bring the ball down off I. Rodriguez’s header from midfield. Bethune sent a quick touch towards Cooper who cut in from the right through Denver’s defense, and she had a cheeky touch to bypass Smith and use her left foot to put the ball into the back of the net. It was Cooper’s first career regular season brace and Bethune’s third career regular season multi-assist game. 

In the late stages of the second half, one final counterattack sealed the result for Kansas City. The Current kickstarted the move with a turnover forced near midfield by Bethune, who poked the ball to Debinha. Debinha then played the ball ahead for Bethune, who slid a one-time pass for Rodríguez. After a deft turn to settle the pass, Rodríguez rolled a ball behind the back line for Chawinga to chase. Presented with a one-on-one opportunity with Smith, Chawinga fizzed a strike into the left side netting to triple Kansas City's lead. 

The goal was Chawinga's eighth of the season and 43rd of her regular season career. Chawinga now holds sole possession of second place in the 2026 NWSL Golden Boot race. Rodríguez notched her first career assist for the Current and eighth career regular season assist.

The Kansas City Current is back on the pitch on Friday, July 10, for a road match at the Orlando Pride, marking the first meeting between the two sides this season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Fla. The match will broadcast nationally on Prime as well as on the World Feed, and fans can tune in to catch the action 90.9 The Bridge. The game will also be on the KC Current App in English, Spanish and Portuguese. 

NWSL Match Report  
Match: Denver Summit FC vs. Kansas City Current  
Date: July 3, 2026  
Venue: DICK’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colo.

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. MT (8:38 p.m. CT)
Weather: 83 degrees, cloudy

Attendance: 16,833

Discipline

36’ Denver – Gaetino (Yellow)

Scoring

35’ Kansas City – Cooper (Bethune)

81’ Kansas City – Cooper (Bethune)

87’ Kansas City – Chawinga 

Scoring Summary

                        1          2          F

Denver            0          0          0

Kansas City    1           2          3

Denver Summit FC Lineup: Smith, Oke (78’ Means), Kurtz, Gaetino, Pickett (46’ Yuzuki), Lynch (85’ Thomas), Regan (46’ Sheehan), Ryan, Kössler, Brazier (66’ McCormack), Sonis ©

Unused Substitutes: Reid, Nytes, Biegalski, Boade

Kansas City Current Lineup: Jordan, I. Rodriguez (90’ Ball), Sharples, Robinson, Rouse, Feist (79’ R. Rodríguez), LaBonta ©, Bethune (90’ Scott), Chawinga, Cooper (90’ White), Hopkins (62’ Debinha)

Unused Substitutes: Williams-Mosier, Paul, Suliafu, Hocking