Match Report: Kansas City Current Sets NWSL Record With 1-0 Victory over Angel City FC

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 6, 2025) — The Kansas City Current (19-2-2, 59 pts., 1st place) continues to make National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) history Monday night, recording the club’s 19th victory of the regular season in a 1-0 road victory over Angel City FC (6-11-6, 24 pts., 11th place) and setting a league record for most single-season wins. Forward Michelle Cooper broke the deadlock with a historic goal in the 59th minute, finding the back of the net after being on the field for just 20 seconds as a second-half substitute. The goal was the fastest by a substitute in NWSL history.

Goalkeeper Lorena, who made four crucial saves in the contest to earn her 13th shutout of the season, tied the NWSL single-season shutout record with another standout performance Monday night. The contest also saw the first career NWSL regular season starts for forwards Mary Long and Alex Pfeiffer, while midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta made her 150th career NWSL regular season start. The one-goal victory also extended the Current’s ongoing unbeaten streak to 16 matches.

“We play all the way through regardless of how hard it is,” said head coach Vlatko Andonovski. “We relentlessly fight defensively and attack on the other side. We believe so much in the process that we know if we execute everything at some point, we are going to be successful.”

A rotated Current side held the hosts at bay throughout the opening 45 minutes. In the 17th minute, Angel City forward Riley Tiernan tried to lob Lorena from well outside the 18-yard box, but the effort fluttered wide. Lorena then made her first save of the match in the 33rd minute: Angel City midfielder Jun Endo struck from the top of the penalty area but the Brazilian netminder took a few comfortable steps to her left to corral the effort. 

Ten minutes later, Angel City forward Sveindis Jane Jónsdóttir turned and fired a low strike from inside the box, but defensive pressure from Kansas City defender Gabrielle Robinson ultimately led to the ball rolling straight to Lorena. Defender Elizabeth Ball also made multiple key interventions, including in the waning minutes of the opening frame when she stepped in to block an effort from distance by Tiernan. That marked the final action of the first half as the sides remained knotted at zero entering the locker room.  

Angel City had a flurry of chances in the opening stages of the second half, including a low shot from distance by Endo in the 49th minute that struck the post, but the contest remained level.

In the 59th minute, the Current broke through against Angel City FC with an instant impact from substitute Michelle Cooper. Entering the match less than 20 seconds earlier for Long, Cooper made her presence felt immediately in a scramble inside the box. In a dual effort with midfielder Ally Sentnor, both players collided while fighting to get a foot on the ball, but Cooper was ultimately credited with the game-winning goal. The sequence began with a cross into the box from Hailey Hopkins, who earned the assist. 

The goal marked Cooper’s sixth of the regular season, as well as Hopkins’ second assist of the campaign. After being on the field for just 20 seconds before finding the back of the net, Cooper’s goal marked the quickest in league history by a substitute. Cooper scored with her first touch of the match. The previous record was 55 seconds set in 2022. Cooper also has an NWSL record for the quickest goal from kickoff in league history, scoring after just 22 seconds of match play in 2023.

In the 71st minute, Lorena made her best save of the match to keep the contest level. From inside the penalty area, Angel City forward Kennedy Fuller drove a low effort on target that seemed destined for the back of the net, but Lorena made a full-extension fingertip save to push the effort away. The second-chance effort fell wide of goal and the chance was cleared.

Angel City continued to press for an equalizer as the match progressed, but Kansas City’s defense held firm to see out the 1-0 victory. The win marked Kansas City’s 19th of the regular season, setting a new NWSL record for single-season victories.

LaBonta made her 150th career regular season start in Monday's contest, becoming the 26th player in NWSL history to hit that milestone. It was also her 100th career regular season appearance for Kansas City. The captain is the first player in KC Current history to reach the century mark and the 37th player in league history to do so for the same club.

Monday’s match also marked the first NWSL regular season starts for both Long and Pfeiffer, while the Current earned their league-record 15th shutout of the season. The Current’s 16-match unbeaten streak is the second longest run in franchise history.

Kansas City returns to action in just five days as it hosts Gotham FC on Saturday, Oct. 11, for the club’s annual Teal Out, presented by Palmer Square Capital Management. Saturday’s match kicks off at 4 p.m. CT and will broadcast nationally on ION with Jordan Angeli and Maura Sheridan as well as on the World Feed with Mike Watts and McCall Zerboni. The match will simulcast locally on KMCI, 38 the Spot with a pregame show, KC Current Matchday, beginning at 3:30 p.m. CT. Jillian Carroll Letrinko and Dave Borchardt will call the game on 90.9 The Bridge, and fans can also tune in to hear the match in English, Spanish or Portuguese on the KC Current App. 

Limited single-match tickets for 2025 regular season home matches are now on sale to the general public. Playoff tickets are now available for purchase HERE. The best way to ensure you won’t miss a second of the action at CPKC Stadium is by joining the Current Club, the Current’s trailblazing fan membership experience. Focused on ensuring fans continue to be able to access exclusive opportunities, members can unlock special benefits like priority access to single match tickets, members-only gifts and discounts, access to live and virtual events, exclusive content and more. 2025 Season Ticket Member Account Holders are already enrolled in Current Club at no additional cost. Click HERE for more information about the Current Club.

NWSL Match Report  
Match: Angel City FC vs. Kansas City Current  
Date: October 6, 2025  
Venue: BMO Stadium, Los Angeles, Calif.
Kickoff: 7:38 p.m. PT/9:38 p.m. CT 
Weather: 66 degrees, clear 
Attendance:  11,147

Discipline  
88’ Kansas City – Wheeler (Yellow)

Scoring  
59’ Kansas City – Cooper (Hopkins)

Score Summary

Angel City FC Lineup: Anderson, Gorden ©, Doorsoun, Shores, Thompson, Moriya, Martin, Sugita, Endo (60’ Fuller), Jonsdottir (74’ Press), Tiernan (84’ Niehues) 
Unused Substitutes: Seabert, Riley, Reid, Hodge, Eddy, Hammond

Kansas City Current Lineup: Lorena, Scott (77’ Wheeler), Ball, Robinson, I. Rodriguez, LaBonta ©, Hutton, Sentnor (72’ Debinha), Pfeiffer (58’ Cooper), Long (58’ Zaneratto), Hopkins (72’ Prince)
Unused Substitutes: Ivory, Steigleder, R. Rodríguez, Feist