Chawinga catapults Kansas City Current to Summer Cup title

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Kansas City current forward Temwa Chawinga scored two first-half goals to lift NJ/NY Gotham FC 2-0 in the final of the inaugural NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup on Friday at Toyota Field . The trophy is Kansas City's first since play began in 2021.

The brace was Chawinga's fourth in all competitions this year. She recently broke the National Women's Soccer League single-season record. She has scored 20 goals in 25 games with one game left in the season.

She scored the first goal Friday in the 25th minute when she got behind the Gotham defense and fired a shot over goalkeeper Cassie Miller.

Twelve minutes later, Chawinga struck again in another sequence that began with midfielders Claire Hutton and Lo'eau LaBonta. Replays showed Chawinga was offside for the second goal, but the video review was not used for the Summer Cup.

Held primarily during the NWSL's Summer Olympics, the Summer Cup featured all 14 teams from the United States' top division competing against six teams from the Mexican premier league. Gotham FC and Kansas City won their respective groups before winning the semifinals in August. All four semifinalists came from the NWSL.

Gotham FC and Kansas City sit third and fourth in the NWSL regular season standings, separated by just one point heading into the final round of play. Kansas City started Friday with mostly its usual starting lineup, including Chawinga, who was substituted at halftime.

Gotham's squad was stretched by injuries and personal commitments, as well as international absences during the FIFA window. Gotham signed seven national team substitutes before the game to complete the full matchday squad. Among them were Mana Shim, who participated in the team's NWSL championship run last year, and 14-year-old McKenna “Mak” Whitham.

Gotham had more than 60% possession throughout the game but failed to get a single shot on goal.