Chawinga Makes NWSL History with Mother's Day Hat Trick

Temwa Chawinga picked the perfect day to end her goal drought and make Kansas City Current history.

The two-time defending NWSL MVP scored three goals on Mother's Day at CPKC Stadium, delivering the franchise's first regular season hat trick in a 3-0 victory over Chicago Stars FC. The sold-out crowd of Kansas City fans watched Chawinga open the scoring in the 22nd minute before adding two more goals within the first five minutes of the second half.

Chawinga's first goal came from a beautiful team sequence. Midfielder Bayley Feist intercepted a pass near midfield and fed Michelle Cooper on the wing, who threaded a pass through multiple defenders to Croix Bethune in the box. Bethune fought through pressure to find an unmarked Chawinga at the back post, who nudged the ball past Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

The second goal took just two minutes after halftime. Cooper sent a driven cross that Naeher could only tip to Chawinga's feet, and the striker calmly slotted home. Three minutes later, Chawinga completed her hat trick with a brilliant half-volley after a five-player passing sequence that showcased the Current's attacking prowess.

Why This Inspires

Chawinga's performance represents more than just individual brilliance. After starting the season without a goal through eight matches, the star forward could have pressed or lost confidence. Instead, she kept working and trusted her teammates, who repaid that trust with exceptional setups for all three goals.

The victory extended Kansas City's home unbeaten streak to 20 consecutive regular season matches, the third-longest in NWSL history. Goalkeeper Lorena earned her 15th career shutout to preserve the milestone, while the team continues building something special at CPKC Stadium.

Head coach Chris Armas praised the sellout crowd after the match, acknowledging that fan support makes moments like these possible. The Current remain undefeated on Mother's Day at home since their stadium opened in 2024, creating a tradition families can celebrate together.

For Chawinga, the hat trick marked the eighth-fastest in league history at just 50 minutes and the first by any NWSL player this season. Kansas City now sits in sixth place with back-to-back wins, finding momentum at the perfect time.