The Kansas City Current scored three times in the first half and set a record for the most regular-season goals by a team in NWSL history (57) in a 3-1 win against the host Chicago Red Stars on Sunday in Bridgeview, Ill.
The Current (16-3-7, 55 points) finished the season on a 6-0-2 run, including four straight wins.
The loss means the Red Stars (10-14-2, 32 points), who lost four of their final five matches, will face the top-seeded Orlando Pride in the postseason.
Kansas City dominated the first half, finishing with an 11-2 advantage in shot attempts and 6-0 in shots on goal.
Michelle Cooper gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. Nichelle Prince sent a short pass into the box. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher came off her line to try to snare it, but Cooper was first to it and fired a strike from above the goal area into the right side of the net.
It was the Current’s 55th goal of the season, which broke the record.
They added to it in the 26th minute. Debinha collected a short feed from Vanessa DiBernardo at the top of the 6-yard box and sent it past Naeher’s outstretched arm into the far side.
Prince extended it to 3-0 in the 33rd minute. Chicago’s Cari Roccaro, near the spot, blocked a Kansas City shot attempt and Prince was there to take the loose ball and beat Naeher, who couldn’t get over in time.
Ally Schlegel broke the shutout in the 52nd minute when she took a pass from Shea Groom and battled through a pair of defenders to send it past goalkeeper Almuth Schult, who had come off her line, cutting it to 3-1.
Kansas City was locked into the No. 4 playoff seed entering the day and will face the No. 5 North Carolina Courage in the first round.
–Field Level Media