Temwa Chawinga Brace and Two Michelle Cooper Assists Lift Kansas City Current Past Houston Dash 3-0

Two minutes and 29 seconds. That is how long it took the Kansas City Current to turn a fortunate bounce into a full-on stranglehold on Friday night at CPKC Stadium. Michelle Cooper's cross went in off Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell in the 15th minute, and before the Dash had even finished regrouping, Temwa Chawinga was rolling a first-time finish into the bottom right corner.

Kansas City beat the Houston Dash 3-0 in front of 11,500 fans, with Chawinga scoring twice and Cooper assisting both of her goals. The Current have now won three straight, and the club says its regular season unbeaten run at CPKC Stadium is up to 21 matches, tied for the second-longest regular season home unbeaten streak in NWSL history. Houston, meanwhile, has gone five matches without a win.

Fifteen Minutes, Then Two More

Kansas City came out flying. Ally Sentnor had a shot blocked in the 12th minute, and the corners started to pile up. Per the Current's account, Laney Rouse started it with a ball up the right side, and Cooper juked her way into enough room to float one toward the back post. Campbell got a touch, but only enough to help it into her own net. ESPN's data books it as an own goal by Campbell.

The second goal was pure craft. Croix Bethune turned her marker near midfield and lofted a ball over the top for Cooper, according to the club. Campbell rushed out and got there first, sort of, but Cooper won the scramble and dinked it over to an unmarked Chawinga, who did not need a second invitation. That was 17 minutes, two goals, and a Dash back line staring at the sky.

Linda Ullmark was booked for a bad foul in the 21st minute, and Kansas City kept coming. Campbell got down to stop a Bethune shot at the bottom left corner in the 26th, a chance Chawinga had teed up. The Dash did not even attempt a shot until Kat Rader sent one just past the top right corner in the 37th, and the Current noted that Houston went the entire first half without testing Lorena. Bethune nearly made it three in first-half stoppage time, but her left-footed effort from the left side of the six-yard box slid wide.

Houston Wakes Up, Lorena Slams the Door

Give the Dash credit for the response. Lisa Boattin replaced Allysha Chapman at halftime, and Houston started finding the frame. Lorena dove to stop a long-range Ullmark effort in the 53rd minute, and six minutes later she flew across her goal to tip a Rader shot over the bar. That was as close as Houston came.

The Post, Then the Dagger

The turning point came in a frantic eight-minute window. Cooper rattled the right post in the 61st minute after a feed from Izzy Rodriguez. Then came four Kansas City attempts in three minutes, two of them from Bethune. Campbell was basically standing in front of a fire hose.

Then the hose found the hole. Head coach Chris Armas sent on Haley Hopkins and Katie Scott in the 67th minute, and Hopkins pounced on a loose ball in the middle of the park almost immediately. Suddenly Kansas City had three attackers against two defenders, per the club. Hopkins fed Cooper on the right, Cooper hit it first time across the goalmouth, and Chawinga buried it from the left side of the six-yard box in the 68th minute. The rest was a formality.

Cooper Writes, Chawinga Sings

Temwa Chawinga scored twice on three shots before making way for Penelope Hocking in the 75th minute. The club says she now has five regular season goals and sits second in the Golden Boot race despite not making her season debut until April 4. Her 25 goals in 27 regular season matches at CPKC Stadium are the third most by any player at a single venue in league history, behind only Christine Sinclair (41 at Providence Park) and Marta (26 at Inter&Co Stadium).

Michelle Cooper forced the own goal, set up both Chawinga finishes and hit the post. The Current called it the first multi-assist game of her NWSL regular season career, and she has now assisted seven Chawinga goals since the start of the 2024 campaign. That is a partnership, not a coincidence.

Croix Bethune led all players with four shots, two on target, and started the move for the second goal. Lorena made four saves, including the full-stretch stop on Rader, for a second straight shutout.

For Houston, Kat Rader put two of her three shots on target, and the Dash say she leads the team with 16 chances created. Campbell made two saves and deserved a kinder bounce on the opener.

By the Numbers

• Shots: Kansas City 13, Houston 7, with four on target apiece.
• Saves: Lorena 4, Campbell 2.
• Clearances: Houston 34, Kansas City 11. The Dash spent long stretches bailing water.
• Crosses: Kansas City attempted 18 and completed only three, and still scored three times.
• Possession: Kansas City 51.6 percent, Houston 48.4.

Where Both Sides Stand

Kansas City moves to five wins, no draws and four losses with 15 points, and the club's own recap had the Current sixth. This is the same team that dropped three straight in March, to Chicago, Seattle and Portland. Since a 4-0 loss at Washington on April 24, the Current have won at North Carolina 2-1 and posted back-to-back 3-0 home wins over Chicago Stars FC and Houston. The Current have won their last eight regular season home matches dating back to 2025, per the club. A quick turnaround follows, with a trip to Angel City FC on Wednesday, May 20.

Houston falls to three wins, one draw and five losses with 10 points, 10th in the Current's recap. Since a 4-3 win over Racing Louisville FC on April 3, the Dash have one draw, four losses and one goal in five matches, and this was their third straight defeat. One bright spot: the Dash say their rookie class has combined for 32 starts, the most in the league this season. Houston returns home to face San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday, May 20, and Angel City FC on Saturday, May 23.

The Final Word

Armas sounded like a coach who can feel the wind changing. "On the inside of the locker room, the players are hungry," he said. "It's getting going and we all feel like there's real momentum." Kansas City spent March looking like a band that had lost its sound. Now Cooper is writing the hooks, Chawinga is hitting every note, and CPKC Stadium is singing along.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Postgame quote and additional details as reported by KansasCityCurrent.com and the Houston Dash on HoustonDynamoFC.com.