Match Recap: Kansas City Current Rides First-Half Scoring Surge to 5-1 Victory Over Racing Louisville FC

KANSAS CITY (July 29, 2026) — The Kansas City Current (9-7-1, 28 pts., 6th place) rode a clinical offensive performance to a 5-1 victory over Racing Louisville FC (3-11-2, 11 pts., 16th place) Wednesday night at CPKC Stadium. The Current broke the match open in the first half with three goals in the opening 20 minutes from forward Haley Hopkins, midfielder Debinha and forward Amelia White to give the Current a 3-0 advantage at halftime. Hopkins completed her brace in the 48th minute, and Debinha added a historic goal in the 52nd minute to seal the result. 

It was the fourth time the Current scored five goals in an NWSL regular season match at CPKC Stadium, and Kansas City extended the club’s ongoing home unbeaten streak to a league-record 25 matches.

Debinha now has 82 career NWSL goals across all competitions, tied for the most in league history, and sits in a tie for sixth in league laurels with 58 career regular season goals. Midfielder Croix Bethune set up White’s first career NWSL goal with her seventh assist of the regular season, giving Bethune sole possession of the Current’s single-season assist record. 

"It's really just the mentality to step on the pitch straightaway and stick to who we are, which is attacking soccer," said head coach Chris Armas. "Goals change games, and tonight you could see that. We have a meeting every pregame where we go over a few reminders, and the last slide said: Attack. And this is what we wanted most of all, which is the DNA of our football...We gave our fans who came out a lot to cheer about. We want the fans on the edge of their seats. We want to attack and score goals no matter who's on the field. Anyone can score with our style of play and can be the playmaker."

The Current jumped ahead instantly, with early pressure on the Louisville back line resulting in Hopkins’ first goal in the fifth minute. Bethune kickstarted the move in the attacking third, splitting multiple defenders with an incisive through ball that found midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta in the penalty area. LaBonta shot a low strike that Louisville goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer met with a diving save, but Hopkins was positioned perfectly to steer the ensuing rebound into a vacant net. That marked the earliest goal the Current scored this regular season.

Kansas City’s early offensive barrage continued 10 minutes later as a spectacular effort from Debinha doubled the Current’s lead. Defender Izzy Rodriguez recycled a long cross back into the penalty area from the left wing, and her cross met Hopkins’ head at the six-yard box who steered it across the face of goal for Debinha. The midfielder squared up with the descending header, plucked the ball out of midair with an acrobatic leap, then stuck her attempt into the bottom left corner of the goal. 

Debinha’s first goal of the night stood as the match-winning goal as the visitors pulled a goal back in the late stages of the contest. It marked the 20th career game-winning goal of Debinha’s illustrious NWSL career, the third player in league history to reach the milestone. 

White then tripled the Current’s advantage in the 20th minute, latching onto a well-placed through ball from Bethune that was played in behind the Louisville defense. Presented with space, White took a touch and raced ahead into the penalty area for a one-on-one opportunity with Bloomer. White made no mistake with her chance, curling a low strike under the outstretched arms of Bloomer and into the lower left corner. It was White’s first career NWSL regular season goal. Bethune notched her 19th career regular season assist on White’s strike, and her seventh of the 2026 regular season. Her seven assists set a new single-season club record and she is now tied for first in the league this year. 

Goalkeeper Marisa Jordan ensured Kansas City would take a 3-0 advantage into halftime with a diving save on a long-range effort from Louisville defender Courtney Petersen late in the opening frame. The early offensive output marked the first time the Current scored three goals in the first half since June 2025 — also against Louisville — with all three goals also coming in the first in the 20 minutes of the contest. 

Kansas City maintained its foothold as the second half began, with Hopkins again capitalizing on a rebound in the penalty area to give the Current a 4-0 lead in the 48th minute. After midfielder Bayley Feist squared a ball to Debinha at the top of the 18-yard box, the Brazilian’s long-range effort was met with a stop from Bloomer. However, the ball careened off Blommer’s hands and rolled towards the six-yard box where a crashing Hopkins slammed in the rebound. The goal was Hopkins’ fourth of the year and ninth of her regular season career, as well as her first career NWSL brace.  

The Current’s fifth and final goal came four minutes later with another tally from Debinha. Feist started the move near midfield, intercepting an errant touch from a Racing player and instantly steering a pass ahead for Hopkins. As Feist rounded Hopkins with an overlapping run, Hopkins dished the ball ahead for Debinha while multiple defenders converged on her near the top of the penalty area. Debinha then slid the ball back out wide for Feist, who played a one-touch pass back for Debinha near the penalty spot. Debinha capped the well-worked move with a first-time finish that rolled into the back of the net.

Debinha is now tied with Lynn Biyendolo for the most goals scored in NWSL history across all competitions with 82. With 58 career goals in NWSL regular season play — the sixth-highest total in league history — Debinha sits just one goal behind Ashley Hatch (59) and two behind Alex Morgan (60) in the all-time league record books. Feist recorded her first regular season assist in a Current kit.

The brace was Debinha’s fifth of her regular season career, and her third with Kansas City. Debinha has now recorded nine goals and five assists against Racing Louisville across all competitions, the most by any player against a single NWSL opponent since Racing joined the league in 2021. Additionally, it was the first time since April 20, 2024, that two KC Current players recorded a brace in the same regular season match.

Louisville pulled a goal back from the penalty spot in the 81st minute, but the Current’s strong offensive showing provided more than enough cushion for a 5-1 victory. Midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo, who entered the contest as a second-half substitute, earned her 100th career NWSL victory, becoming just the fourth player in NWSL history to reach the milestone. Defender Kolo Suliafu earned the first minutes of her NWSL regular season career, playing the final 25 minutes plus stoppage time. 

Kansas City remains at home this weekend, as the Current hosts Angel City FC at CPKC Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 1, at 5:30 p.m. CT. The match will broadcast nationally on ION, and a local simulcast will be available for fans in Kansas City on The Spot – Kansas City 38. A pregame show, KC Current Matchday, will begin at 5 p.m. CT. 90.9 The Bridge will have the action for fans in Kansas City, and an audio feed of the match will be available in English, Spanish and Portuguese on the KC Current App. 

Saturday’s match is Educator Appreciation Night, presented by Culver’s. Education professionals from across the region are invited to CPKC Stadium for a special night in their honor, featuring themed activations celebrating the education heroes making a difference in our community. Fans in attendance can look forward to an exclusive KC Current-branded desk name plate as Saturday’s giveaway item. Tickets to this weekend’s match can be purchased HERE. 

NWSL Match Report 
Match: Kansas City Current vs. Racing Louisville FC 
Date: July 29, 2026 
Venue: CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

Kickoff: 7:06 p.m. CT
Weather: 85 degrees, cloudy
Attendance: 11,500 

Discipline 
45+5’ Louisville – Milliet (Yellow)
72’ Louisville – Fischer (Yellow)

79’ Kansas City – Scott (Yellow)

Scoring 
5’ Kansas City – Hopkins

15’ Kansas City – Debinha (Hopkins)
20’ Kansas City – White (Bethune)

48’ Kansas City – Hopkins

52’ Kansas City – Debinha (Feist)

81’ Louisville – Flint (PK)

Scoring Summary
                        1          2         F

Kansas City    3          2          5

Louisville        0          1           1

Kansas City Current Lineup: Jordan, I. Rodriguez (65’ Suliafu), Robinson, Ball, Rouse (46’ Scott), Feist, LaBonta © (54’ R. Rodríguez), Bethune (58’ DiBernardo), Debinha (53’ Paul), White, Hopkins
Unused Substitutes: Williams-Mosier, Brewer

Racing Louisville FC Lineup: Bloomer, Petersen, Gacioch (46’ Jean), Ciorbu (60’ Fischer), Hill, Milliet © (46’ O’Kane), Fling, McKeen (60’ Lardner), Hase, Weber, Sears

Unused Substitutes: Prohaska, Wright, Philippus, McMahon, Morris