Chawinga scores his 17th to help Current come from behind for a 1-1 draw against Gotham FC

Temwa Chawinga scored her league-leading 17th goal of the season to help the Kansas City Current come from behind for a 1-1 draw against Gotham FC on Saturday in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Gotham (13-4-5) took the lead in the 23rd minute when Yazmeen Ryan’s cross deflected off a current defender and slipped under goalkeeper Almuth Schult’s legs.

Chawinga responded in the 52nd minute, beating her defender on the halfway line and finishing around goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger. Debinha helped.

Chawinga’s 17 goals are just shy of Sam Kerr’s single-season record of 18 set in 2019. Chawinga’s 12 goals at CPKC Stadium are the most by a player at home in a single regular season in the history of the league.

Schult made six saves for the Current (12-3-7).

Gotham sits in third place and has lost just once in its last eight matches. The defending league champions became the first NWSL team to visit the White House earlier this week.

ROYALS 1, RACE LOUISVILLE 0

Ana Tejada’s second-half goal gave the Utah Royals a 1-0 victory at America First Field against Racing Louisville.

Tejada fired a powerful shot from distance that slipped into the bottom left corner in the 79th minute.

Cristina Roque, making her regular season debut after Mandy Haught was injured in warmups, made two saves for Utah (5-14-3).

Louisville (6-9-7) is still looking for the eighth and final playoff spot with four games remaining.

PRIDE 3, DASH 1

Carson Pickett, Angelina and Marta scored for first place. The Orlando Pride extended their undefeated league record to 23 games, dating back to last year, with a 3-1 victory over the Houston Dash at Inter&Co Stadium.

Pickett scored in the 29th minute when she found herself alone at the far post and headed in Cori Dyke’s cross to give the Pride (16-0-6) a 1-0 lead.

Angelina scored in the 51st minute, placing her shot just outside the penalty area into the top left corner.

Two minutes later, last-place Houston (4-13-5) got on the board when Yuki Nagasato got his foot on the end of Elin Rubensson’s pass in the box.

Marta scored with a solo effort in the 92nd minute.

WAVE 2, thorns 0

Mya Jones and Melanie Barcenas scored and the San Diego Wave beat the Portland Thorns 2-0 at Snapdragon Stadium.

Portland (8-10-4) hasn’t won in six straight regular-season games, but the team is still clinging to a playoff spot ahead of Racing Louisville in the standings.

The Wave (5-10-7) are just three points behind Louisville for the final playoff spot with four games remaining.

Jones scored from a scrum in front after a free kick in the 69th minute, then 16-year-old Barcenas added his first NWSL goal in the 74th.

The Thorns were without top scorer Sophia Smith with an ankle injury and midfielder Hina Sugita with a facial injury.

___

AP Football: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.