The Kansas City Current’s record-breaking 2025 campaign came to a wrenching end Sunday afternoon as eighth-seeded Gotham FC claimed a 2-1 extra-time victory in the NWSL quarterfinals at CPKC Stadium. Two stoppage time goals created a whiplash of emotion for Current fans: one goal that extended their season, and one that ended it.
Down a goal late in stoppage time, the top-seeded Current (21-3-2) appeared to make a miraculous escape after defender Ellie Wheeler’s brilliant goal sent the game to extra time. Wheeler’s equalizer in the sixth minute of stoppage time was the latest game-tying goal in NWSL playoff history.
After 30 minutes of extra time and just ticks away from the game going to a penalty shoot-out, Gotham’s Katie Stengel struck in stoppage time of the second extra period, grieving the sellout crowd and ending Kansas City’s championship hopes in 2025.
The result closed the book on a historic regular season that saw the Current capture the team’s first NWSL Shield while setting league records for wins (21), points (65), and shutouts (16), among others.
“As much as we’re disappointed in the final result today, we’re not going to allow this result to define our season,” head coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “I think that our players, even today, can walk with their heads up. I think they did an incredible job throughout the whole season, and I don’t want one shot or one missed opportunity or one cross to define who we are.”
The match unfolded as a tense, tactical battle played in frigid conditions, 33 degrees with gusty north winds that fought against the team headed into the blast. Neither side found a breakthrough in a scoreless first half, though both created quality chances.
Gotham struck first in the 68th minute when forward Jaedyn Shaw latched onto a lofted through ball from Emily Sonnett and drove a shot past Current goalkeeper Lorena.
Kansas City pressed for an equalizer, generating 16 total shots to Gotham’s 15, but couldn’t find the breakthrough until the dying moments of regulation. In the 96th minute, captain Lo’eau LaBonta played the ball wide to Wheeler on the right wing. Wheeler took a touch inside, cut past a defender, and curled a stunning left-footed strike from the edge of the box into the bottom left corner, sending CPKC Stadium and her teammates into delirium.
“It was a game changer coming on,” LaBonta said of Wheeler’s heroics. “That’s been the story all year for us. So proud of the group, and I mean they fought just as hard, Gotham as well.”
The momentum appeared to shift Kansas City’s way. LaBonta ripped a long-range shot in the 98th minute that Gotham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger denied. In the 104th minute, forward Bia Zaneratto forced another diving save. But deep into the second period of extra time, in the 121st minute, Stengel steered home Shaw’s assist to break Current hearts and leave Kansas City with precious little time to respond.
The loss was compounded by a devastating injury list that robbed Kansas City of key players. Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga missed the match with a foot injury, while midfielder Michelle Cooper was also sidelined. Perhaps most remarkably, Zaneratto played through a sprained MCL for 114 minutes before being substituted.
“What Bia did in this game, I don’t think many players could have done,” Andonovski said. “She was playing with a sprained MCL, an injury that it’s hard even to jog or walk, and nothing was going to stop her. I was so proud of her for doing anything possible for this team to be successful.”
The statistics told the story of an evenly-matched contest. Kansas City created slightly better chances, leading in expected goals (1.17 to 0.86) and shots on target (8 to 5), but Gotham controlled possession 57.5% to 42.5% and completed 607 passes to Kansas City’s 430.
LaBonta led the Current with three shots and three chances created. Wheeler’s goal was her first in NWSL postseason play and also gave LaBonta’s her first career playoff assist.
For the players, the immediate aftermath was filled with emotion as they huddled on the field following the final whistle.
“We were all really emotional in the field, but that huddle at the end was just [to] bring it in and reflect on how proud of each other we were and how we all really love each other,” defender Izzy Rodriguez said. “We’re never all going to be in the same team all at once again. So taking that moment and reflecting on being with each other and really taking that in.”
LaBonta echoed those sentiments about a squad that grew increasingly close throughout the campaign.
“This team is probably the closest team I’ve ever been on,” she said. “Each year it gets closer and closer, and so yes, we were fighting to win for the city, but we were doing it for the person next to us as well, because we knew it’s not going to be the same team next year. That’s why it hurt. That’s why you saw a lot of tears.”
