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Photo Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga continued her remarkable debut season in the National Women’s Soccer League Saturday night when she scored her 19th goal of the season — breaking Sam Kerr‘s single-season NWSL scoring record of 18 goals set in 2019 — and what ended up being the game-winning tally.
Chawinga scored 35 minutes into a tightly contested matchup against expansion side Bay FC when she dispossessed the opposition’s midfielder, rode off the physical challenge and blasted a rocket into the back of the net from outside the box.
After Chawinga tallied her 19th goal of the season, Lo’eau LaBonta kept her celebration tradition alive by trying to count all of her teammate’s goals on her fingers, quickly running out of digits. The team’s love for their leading goalscorer showed as they celebrated the score and after the final whistle.
“I think the team, the group that is around her [were] a lot happier than her when we were in the huddle,” Andonovski said. “When we were in the huddle it seemed like Lo’eau [LaBonta] and Vanessa [DiBernardo] and Kayla [Sharples] were more excited and happier about the record than Temwa herself.”
This love doesn’t go unnoticed by Chawinga who called out players like LaBonta and Vanessa DiBernardo helping her in training and the team as a whole for welcoming her.
“To me it’s so special to be in this team because I meet a lot of players in this team who treat me well… and the staff. So I’m very happy to be here to work with them,” Chawinga told media after the win. “That’s why I work hard each game with players that treat me well.”
Oct 12, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga (6) celebrates with teammates after the game against Bay FC at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Head coach Vlatko Andnovski was a little more practical about his excitement, noting the conscious effort Chawinga put into developing that shot.
“One thing that made me happy is, we know that teams now are trying to close down … the area where she gets most of her chances. So we spent a little bit of time working on getting shots from distance … and she ran out and hit a bomb,” Andonovski said.
While the former U.S. women’s national team coach had initially hoped Chawinga would score 10-12 goals for his team she has continued to show just how much she is capable of and how special she is.
“She’s not satisfied with scoring one and missing [an] opportunity, she wants to get better and make sure that the next time she gets that opportunity she capitalizes on it,” Andonovski said. “She’s very unpredictable. We’ve seen her score … different types of goals and that makes her very special.
“One last thing that I think Temwa has is she’s a total footballer. When you look at her she’s not just run, get the ball and score goal. She’ll assist on a goal. She starts the attacks for us. She’ll bring the team into the attack. She defends amazingly. She’s a superb defender and all together, I mean, just a great player.”
Kerr held the previous record since 2019 when she scored 18 goals in 21 matches played for the Chicago Red Stars in a 24-game season. Chawinga scored her 19 in a comparable 24-game span but played all 24 — and has two more left to possibly extend her record even further.
The Malawian forward now looks untouchable in the NWSL Golden Boot race as she is six goals ahead of the next leading scorer, Barbra Banda, with 13. But the record-breaking attacker is more concerned with her team winning than breaking records or accruing individual accolades.
“I was very happy to help my team,” Chawinga said of her historic goal.
“I don’t think she has looked at it as something that she wants to attain,” Andonovski said. “Obviously, everybody wants to score many goals, but for her, I think the most important thing is that those goals are bringing points, and that’s what she’s happy for.”
