KC Current is on fire this season. Matchday 9 of the NWSL proved to be a tough yet favorable outing, as they secured a narrow away win over Orlando Pride. The victory helps Vlatko Andonovski and Co. retain their spot at the top of the table, extending their tally to 21 points. While it’s certainly a moment to celebrate the crucial three points, an injury to star player Alana Cook dampened the atmosphere.

The USWNT center-back was forced off the pitch during the 62nd minute of the game, just ten minutes after lethal forward Temwa Chawinga gave the Kansas side a lead. Cook was seen limping off the pitch, visibly in distress, before the club medical staff could examine her. However, with no signs of being able to continue, her time was eventually cut short before the final whistle.

The 28-year-old was eventually replaced by Elizabeth Ball, who played the rest of the half-hour, denying Orlando Pride from scoring an equalizer. But the concern doesn’t end there. After coming off the pitch, instead of just staying put on the bench with her teammates, Alana Cook rather headed straight back down the tunnel to the locker room.

Renowned journalist and ESPN writer Jeff Kassouf gave an update on X that suggested that the defender went along with the club medics to further conduct tests on her left knee. So far, there hasn’t been any specific update offered by the club. However, it’s not just Alana Cook in distress.

Goalscorer Temwa Chawinga and winger Debinha were also taken off the pitch in the 89th and 68th minute, respectively. Notably, Kassouf also stated that after the post-game, even Vlatko Andonovski didn’t have any key health updates on the injuries to either of the three stars.

However, the former USWNT boss did confirm that Chawinga’s injury scare is somewhat related to an “unspecified problem” which apparently the Malawian international has been dealing with since the start of the 2025 campaign. Further tests will reveal the extent of all the knocks that Cook, Debinha, or Temwa have sustained.

Either way, this is quite an unfortunate development for KC Current. Riding high in the NWSL, setbacks like these can impact both the team’s performance and their confidence in maintaining dominance. While this isn’t the news loyal fanbase had hoped for, let’s uplift your mood by highlighting how well their team has been doing.

KC Current is firing all cylinders this season

Today’s game against Orlando Pride saw a few great moments. KC Current defender Kayla Sharples successfully reached a whopping 5000 regular season career minutes. That’s not all. Temwa Chawinga netted her fourth goal that sent a clear message to her NWSL rivals that she is vying for the league’s Golden Boot. Currently, the Malawian forward is in fifth place, tying alongside Angel City forward Alyssa Thompson.

Topping these two is Thompson’s teammate Riley Tiernan, who tied with Chawinga’s teammate Debinha with a tally of five goals. Meanwhile, enjoying the top spot is NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Esther Gonzales, who has netted seven goals so far. But the talking point is, of course, how two Current stars are making their case for the award from the start of the campaign.

And as for today’s win, that too, against the reigning champions, is indeed the icing on the cake. No wonder head coach Andonovski couldn’t hide his excitement. He said, “I’m very proud of the team. To come here and win a game, you have to not just be very good and show lots of quality, you have to have a heart. If you don’t have a heart, you have no chance. And today, I think we showed heart as a team,” as compiled by Jeff Kassouf on X.

Looks like onwards and upwards seems to be the motto for KC Current this year, don’t you think?