Two of the NWSL`s leading goal scorers will face off on CBS as the regular season resumes following an international break. Just one goal separates Kansas City`s Temwa Chawinga (six goals) and Gotham FC`s Esther Gonzalez (seven goals) in the race for the scoring title. Their teams meet for the first time this season when Gotham FC hosts the Kansas City Current on Saturday at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. The match will be broadcast on CBS.
Both clubs reached the NWSL semifinals in 2024 but are having different experiences in the 2025 season. Kansas City currently sits in first place, leading the league with eight wins. They have quickly established themselves as a title contender, boasting a deep roster, clinical finishing, and an improved defense.
Head coach Vlatko Andonovski and his staff are managing the absence of MVP candidate Debinha due to injury, but the team possesses the depth required to remain competitive as the season approaches its midpoint.
Despite being in ninth place, Gotham FC is coming off a significant victory, having won the inaugural Concacaf Champions Cup. This triumph secured their qualification spots for both the 2026 FIFA Women`s Champions Cup and the first-ever FIFA Women`s Club World Cup in 2028.
Head coach Juan Carlos Amoros and his staff have had to be resourceful due to numerous injuries, including a season-ending ACL tear for U.S. national team defender Tierna Davidson. The team is hopeful that USWNT midfielder Rose Lavelle is nearing a return from her offseason ankle surgery.
Here are key details, how to watch the match, and more:
Match Details
- Date: Saturday, June 7
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- Location: Sports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison, New Jersey
- TV: CBS
- Live stream: Paramount+
Recent Meetings
The teams last met in the final of the 2023 NWSL x LIGA MX FEMENIL Summer Cup in San Antonio, Texas. Kansas City Current defeated Gotham FC 2-0 in that final, with goals from Temwa Chawinga, to lift the trophy.
During the 2024 NWSL regular season, the two clubs faced each other twice, with both matches ending in 1-1 draws. Both sides qualified for the 2024 postseason and were eliminated in the semifinal round.
Gotham FC`s Perspective
The East Coast side is riding high after their Concacaf W Champions Cup success. This adds another trophy to their collection, alongside the 2023 NWSL Championship, and creates expectations for future international tournaments. Gotham`s participation in the cup means they have now caught up in league games played, bringing all teams level at ten matches. This also highlights their current ninth-place standing, just outside the playoff spots for the 2025 season. With the halfway point of the season approaching, head coach Juan Carlos Amoros believes this is the ideal time for Gotham to climb back into playoff contention.
“The competition in Mexico was different, obviously, with the extra time, with different opposition to the NWSL, different challenges, different weather conditions, but at the end of the day, it`s another football game where we want to be Gotham. We want to entertain our fans, enjoy the gameplay, and get the three points,” Amoros said.
“Obviously, paying extra attention, we can`t ignore the fact that at the moment they`re top of the table; in their own right, they`ve been the best team this year so far. So, we need to make sure, hopefully, that we stop that run, and then we can get three points out of them,” he added.
Kansas City Current`s Perspective
Being the top team in the league comes with challenges, and with a long season ahead, the Current are not underestimating Gotham based on their league position. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski sees this road trip to New Jersey as a significant test for his squad.
“I just think that they`re dangerous. You can tell that even though they maybe didn`t get the goals or the points — as many this year, they`re creating a lot, and creating in a way that not many teams can do. We know that going to New Jersey to play Gotham, it`s going to be a difficult test for us, and we don`t take it lightly. We don`t even look at the standings, or where they stand, or how many goals they`ve scored or not. We just analyze them as a team, and we see a lot of good things that they do,” Andonovski stated.
“Gotham is a very interesting team. They`re very, very savvy. Very free-flowing and creative. So, they present different challenges than most teams, if not different challenges than all the teams in the league. Because they do all kinds of different rotations, it`s hard to follow everything that they do. So, we have to be so alert and focused for 90 minutes, because if you just shut down for a second, they`ll punish you. They`ll have such great individuals that they`ll punish you. They`ll take advantage of it,” he explained.
Predicted Lineups
Gotham FC: Ann Katrin-Berger; Lily Real, Emily Sonnett, Jess Carter, Mandy Freeman; Jaelin Howell, Taryn Torres, Geyse, Sarah Schupansky, Midge Purce, Esther Gonzalez
Kansas City Current: Lorena; Hailie Mace, Kayla Sharples, Elizabeth Ball, Izzy Rodriguez; Vanessa DiBernardo, Lo`Eau LaBonta, Claire Hutton; Haley Hopkins, Temwa Chawinga, Bia Zaneratto
Player to Watch
Sarah Schupansky, Gotham FC: This rookie attacker has been a positive surprise for Gotham, stepping up as the team dealt with early-season injuries. She has taken on playmaking and defensive duties effectively. Her consistent, reliable performances have made selecting lineups difficult for the coaching staff as more experienced players regain fitness.
The first-year player from Pitt has been learning extensively from the veteran players around her, including USWNT star Rose Lavelle. Schupansky commented on learning from Lavelle:
“Rose is coming back now, and that is something that I`ve been so excited for because I`ve been watching her for the longest time, the biggest fan of her, and she`s just turning out to be the best person ever as well,” said Schupansky.
“Now that she`s getting more involved, she`s calling me over and helping me with the little idiosyncrasies that come with playing the number 10 position, and I don`t think there`s anybody better in the world to be learning from than her. So that`s been really special as well, but I think there`s so much to learn from every single person on the field, even if they`re not in your position,” she added.
Prediction
The break in fixtures may have allowed some injured players to recover, and it could impact the game`s flow as both teams shake off any rust. Expect a close result.
Pick: Gotham FC 2, Kansas City Current 1
Dominic Ashworth