Record-breaking KC Current wins NWSL Shield with five games to spare

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The Kansas City Current clinched the National Women's Soccer League Shield as the league's top team in the regular season with a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Reign on Saturday night.

The Current (17-2-2) lifted the trophy in front of their home fans at a sold-out CPKC Stadium with five games in the regular season remaining, becoming the fastest team to ever claim the NWSL Shield.

It was the first Shield and first major NWSL trophy in the history of Current, who were founded in 2020. The team's only other trophy was the now-defunct NWSL x LigaMX Femenil Summer Cup, which Kansas City won in 2024.

In the only other game in the NWSL on Saturday, the Portland Thorns were held to a 1-1 tie at home by the San Diego Wave.

In Kansas City, Debinha opened the scoring for the Current from the penalty spot in the 34th minute. It was the 33-year-old Brazilian international's sixth goal of the season.

Last year's NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga scored on a header from close range to make it 2-0 for the Current in the 74th minute. The goal was the Malawian's 13th of the season, which makes her tied for the most in the league.

The Current are now undefeated in their last 14 matches and are on a record nine-match shutout streak.

Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski, who previously won two NWSL Championships in 2014 and 2015, also lifted the NWSL Shield trophy for the first time in his career.

The defeat leaves the Reign (8-7-6) sixth in the standings, four points above the playoff line.

Reyna Reyes scored in the 86th minute to pull the Thorns into a 1-1 tie with the visiting Wave.

The goal came after Olivia Moultrie's free-kick clattered off the crossbar and Wave goalkeeper Dijana Haračić couldn't settle the rebound. Reyes reacted quickest, and slammed the ball home from point-blank range.

With the tie, the Thorns (8-6-7) hold onto to third place, narrowly above the Wave (8-6-7) on goal differential. San Diego is winless in five games.

Savannah McCaskill gave the Wave a 1-0 lead in the 56th minute. The NWSL veteran scored her first goal of the season when she popped up on the edge of the box and calmly fired a low shot into the corner on her left foot.

San Diego was without starting goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who was excused from the game as she and her wife welcomed the birth of their child. Delphine Cascarino, who has most goal contributions of any Wave player, also missed the game with a leg injury.

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