KC Current just can’t seem to catch a break. After kicking off the NWSL season with five consecutive wins to top the table, the Kansas-based club then endured back-to-back defeats to NC Courage and Seattle Reign. But they bounced back in style, responding with an emphatic 4-1 win over NJ/NY Gotham FC. That momentum carried into Matchday 9 as well, with the team securing a narrow yet crucial win over Orlando Pride. But talk about misfortune—those three points came at the cost of key injuries.

Yes, plural, not singular. Not one but three unlucky injuries have hit the KC Current. The names of those affected include defender Alana Cook and forward duo Temwa Chawinga and Debinha. The first one to leave the pitch limping was Alana Cook during the hour mark. She appeared to be in discomfort as the center-back limped off the field, even after the intervention of the medical staff that assessed her.

Unable to continue, the 28-year-old was eventually compelled to exit the game before the final whistle. She was replaced by Elizabeth Ball, who assured that Orlando Pride couldn’t equalize in the remaining half-hour. But the worry grows for Alana Cook after ESPN journalist Jeff Kasouff reported that instead of taking a seat on the bench with her teammates, she headed straight down the tunnel to the locker room.

Next to leave the field with an injury was Debinha around the 68th minute, being replaced by Rocky Rodriguez. Initially, many thought it was just a regular substitution that Vlatko Andonovski made. However, it was confirmed after the game that Debinha was indeed dismissed from the game due to an injury.

Last but not least is goalscorer Temwa Chawinga, who solely helped her side secure the crucial three points with her 52nd-minute strike. She looked set to stay on the pitch for the entirety of the game, until around the 89th minute, when she was also forced off, being replaced by Nichelle Prince.

Regarding Chawinga, Kassouf reported that after the match, former USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski confirmed her injury scare is linked to an “unspecified problem” she has been managing since the start of the 2025 season. However, Andonovski couldn’t provide any concrete health updates on the injuries to any of the three stars.

Only further tests will determine the severity of the knocks sustained by Cook, Debinha, and Temwa. Then again, this is indeed quite an unfortunate update and will surely disappoint the entire KC Current fanbase. Fingers would be crossed to hope these are just minor knocks and don’t end up sidelining any of the stars for a long time.

But on a rather surprising note, despite such unfortunate developments, Vlatko Andonovski was still able to see today’s outcome of the game with a positive outlook.

Vlatko Andonovski praises the “quality” of KC Current

One definitely needs to take a moment to realize how remarkable it is for KC Current to have defeated Seb Hines’ Orlando Pride—the reigning champions—on their home turf. And this is exactly what Vlatko Andonovski feels quite grateful about. “I’m very proud of the team,” began the Macedonian-American tactician in the post-game presser, as compiled by Jeff Kassouf on X.

“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,” added the 44-year-old, expressing his delight on another away victory of his team.

Notably, other highlights of the game saw defender Kayla Sharples achieve 5000 regular-season career minutes. Likewise, Temwa Chawinga netted her fourth goal to further build her case for the Golden Boot race. She is currently tied with Angel City forward Alyssa Thompson in fifth place, and is a goal shy of equalling her Current teammate Debinha as well as Thompson’s teammate Riley Tiernan, who both have scored five.

Meanwhile, leading the top chart is NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Esther González with a tally of seven goals. However, the spotlight is firmly on two KC Current stars who have been strong contenders for the award since the start of the campaign.

Rest, the win was a cherry on top as it keeps KC Current toppers of NWSL with a tally of 21 points. Either way, let’s see whether they’re able to keep up with their form as the season moves ahead.