Temwa Chawinga of Kansas City Current made headlines during her impressive inaugural season in the National Women’s Soccer League on Saturday night, as she netted her 19th goal of the season, surpassing Sam Kerr’s previous record of 18 goals set in 2019. This milestone also marked the decisive goal in the match.
Chawinga struck 35 minutes into a tense battle against Bay FC, an expansion team, when she took the ball off an opposing midfielder, shrugged off a physical challenge, and unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box that found the back of the net.
After scoring her record-breaking goal, Lo’eau LaBonta continued her celebration tradition, attempting to count her teammate’s goals on her fingers before quickly running out of space. The camaraderie among teammates was evident as they celebrated both during the match 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,” commented Andonovski. “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.”
Chawinga expressed her appreciation for her teammates’ support, acknowledging the role that LaBonta and DiBernardo played in her development during training, as well as the warm welcome she received from the entire team.
“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,” she stated to the media following the victory. “That’s why I work hard each game with players that treat me well.”
Head coach Vlatko Andonovski expressed measured excitement, emphasizing Chawinga’s dedication to improving her shooting technique.
“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 explained.
Initially, Andonovski had anticipated that Chawinga would score around 10 to 12 goals this season, but she has continually proven her exceptional talent.
“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 continued. “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 established the previous record in 2019 by netting 18 goals during 21 matches played for the Chicago Red Stars in a 24-game season. Chawinga achieved her 19th goal within a comparable 24-game period but participated in all 24, with two more games remaining that could allow her to further extend her record.
The Malawian forward appears to be a frontrunner in the NWSL Golden Boot chase, leading by six goals over the next competitor, Barbra Banda, who has 13. However, the record-setting player prioritizes her team’s success over individual accolades.
“I was very happy to help my team,” Chawinga remarked about her milestone goal.
“I don’t think she has looked at it as something that she wants to attain,” Andonovski added. “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.”
Image Source: Temwa Chawinga @ Instagram
