Match Report: Kansas City Current Falls 2-1 at Chicago Stars FC in First Road Test

EVANSTON, Ill. (March 22, 2026) — The Kansas City Current (1-1-0, 3 pts., 6th place) began its three-match road swing with a 2-1 loss against Chicago Stars FC (1-1-0, 3 pts., 9th place) Sunday afternoon at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Chicago scored goals on both sides of halftime to take a 2-0 advantage, but forward Haley Hopkins pulled one back in the 57th minute with a historic assist from defender Izzy Rodriguez. However, the Current’s late push fell short, and the team dropped its first road contest of the 2026 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) regular season.

"It's not easy to go on the road in this league and win games,” said head coach Chris Armas. “We're going to respond like champions and winners. That's what we have in that locker room. We're a team that sticks together. There are lots of points out there this week. We've got to recover, regroup and respond in a way that you'd expect the professionals that we have in that locker room to do so.” 

Kansas City nearly opened the scoring on several occasions in the first half. In the second minute, Rodriguez broke free down the left flank and curled a cross for midfielder Debinha, who settled the ball and struck a half-volleyed effort from inside the penalty area that ultimately fizzed just wide. Eleven minutes later, midfielder Croix Bethune forced a turnover in the attacking third and played a through ball that forward Michelle Cooper met in stride. Cooper lofted a cross towards the back post for Rodriguez, who fired a low shot that required a diving save from Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

The hosts ultimately got on the board first with a goal from defender Tessa Dellarose in the 42nd minute to carry a 1-0 lead into the break. The Stars then doubled their lead in the 50th minute with a headed goal from forward Jordyn Huitema to extend their lead to 2-0.  

The Current mounted a rally shortly after the Stars’ second goal to cut their deficit to 2-1 after a goal from Hopkins in the 57th minute. Her goal capped an excellent team move that began with Bethune on the Current’s own end of the pitch. After racing forward, Bethune played a defense-splitting through ball over the midfield line for midfielder Ally Sentnor. Sentnor dished the ball back to Bethune, who continued to drive forward before curling a ball down the left wing for Rodriguez. Rodriguez played a one-time ball across the penalty area for Hopkins, who slammed the ball into the back of the net.

It marked the sixth regular season goal of Hopkins’ career as well as her first career goal off the bench. Rodriguez’s feed was the 12th of her regular season career – all for Kansas City – as she is now the outright club record holder for regular season assists.

Kansas City continued to press for an equalizer as the second half progressed and attempted the last six shots of the contest but could not find an additional goal as Chicago earned the 2-1 victory.

The Current continues their three-match road swing on Wednesday night when they face Seattle Reign FC at 8 p.m. CT (6 p.m. PT). The match will be played at ONE Spokane Stadium in Spokane, Wash., and will air on NWSL+. Fans in Kansas City can catch a locally produced broadcast of the match on the Spot – Kansas City 38 with Jillian Carroll Letrinko and Jordan Angeli on the call and a pregame show, KC Current Matchday, beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT. Additionally, fans in Kansas City can listen to the action on 90.9 The Bridge, and the game will be available in English, Spanish and Portuguese on the KC Current App.

NWSL Match Report  
Match: Chicago Stars FC vs. Kansas City Current  
Date: March 22, 2026  
Venue: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium
Kickoff: 1:15 p.m. CT 
Weather: 37 degrees, windy  
Attendance: 4,192

Discipline  
26’ Kansas City – Bravo-Young (Yellow)

Scoring  
42’ Chicago – Dellarose 
50’ Chicago – Huitema (Gareis) 
57’ Kansas City – Hopkins (I. Rodriguez)

Scoring Summary

Chicago Stars FC Lineup: Naeher ©, Dellarose, Staab, Franklin, Alozie (61’ Farmer), Lopez, Hayashi (88’ Nesbeth), Grosso, Gareis, Pinto, Huitema (61’ Joseph) 
Unused Substitutes: Atkinson, Bike, Chacon, Egizii, Gomes

Kansas City Current Lineup: Lorena, I. Rodriguez, Robinson, Sharples, Bravo-Young, Scott (85’ Paul), LaBonta© (61’ R. Rodríguez), Debinha, Bethune (75’ Hocking), Cooper (46’ Hopkins), Sentnor
Unused Substitutes: Jordan, Rouse, Ball, Branson, Carusa