Reigning NWSL champions Gotham FC will host a Temwa Chawinga-inspired Kansas City Current at New York City's sold-out Icahn Stadium on Sunday in a mouthwatering semi-final clash.
Malawi forward Chawinga has twice (2024 and 2025) been the Golden Boot winner and the league MVP in the same season. However, the NWSL Championship has been elusive for her, while Zambia's Barbra Banda inspired the Orlando Pride to the 2024 title.
Chawinga is two wins away from becoming yet another Southern African star to fire her team to NWSL glory. While not the Golden Boot winner this time around, she has had another productive season with 12 goals and 4 assists in 19 regular season games and an additional playoff game - a 1-0 extra time quarter-final win over Angel City.
That victory came courtesy of a Michelle Cooper penalty, and the Current now find themselves one step closer to the Championship game than they made it last season - when they lost to Gotham in the quarter-finals despite having the best regular season record.
Gotham delivered when it mattered most and won the Championship. This season, it was they who led the regular season standings and entered the playoffs as the top seed.
This has been a closely contested NWSL season, but the defending champions have distinguished themselves with a rock solid defence built on the strong foundation laid by an in-form veteran goalkeeper at the peak of her powers - Germany's Ann-Katrin Berger.
Jaelin Howell has been a standout performer in midfield this season, but it was an own goal from Jordyn Bugg that saw Gotham past Seattle Reign 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
Washington Spirit - who Gotham beat in last year's Championship decider - will host Utah Royals in the other semi-final.
Key details
Date: Sunday, Nov. 15 at 10 p.m. CAT (8 p.m. GMT, 3 p.m. local time in New York City)
Venue: Icahn Stadium, New York City
How to watch: The match is scheduled to air on ESPN 2 for those looking to watch in Africa (DSTV channel 219, Azam 121, StarTimes 249, Wananchi / Zuku TV 713, ZAP 32). For viewers in South Africa, this is available on Disney+.
Team news
Bruninha (knee), Jordynn Dudley (foot), Kayla Duran (knee), and Emily Sonnett (knee) are out for the rest of Gotham's title defence with season-ending injuries.
Tess Boade missed the win over Seattle Reign while struggling with a hamstring issue, but could potentially return to action for this semi-final.
Alana Cook (knee) and Clare Gagne (head) are carrying season-ending injuries for the Current. Defender Ellie Bravo-Young is on maternity leave.
Tactically, one of the key questions for Current head coach Chris Armas is how to fit Chawinga and in-form Haley Hopkins in the same team. In recent matches, Chawinga has shifted out wide to the left flank.
Expected lineups
Gotham FC
GK Ann-Katrin Berger
LB Guro Reiten | CB Tierna Davidson | CB Jessica Carter | RB Mandy Freeman
CM Denise O'Sullivan | CM Rose Lavelle | CM Jaelin Howell
LW Jaedyn Shaw | ST Sam Kerr | RW Midge Purce
Kansas City Current
GK Lorena
LB Izzy Rodriguez | CB Kayla Sharples | CB Gabrielle Robinson | RB Laney Rouse
CM Vanessa DiBernardo | CM Lo'eau LaBonta
LW Temwa Chawinga | AM Croix Bethune | RW Michelle Cooper
ST Haley Hopkins
Stats
Haley Hopkins has scored 7 goals and assisted 1 in her last 6 appearances.
Sam Kerr has gone 4 games for Gotham without a goal, but the team has still won 3 of them.