The Kansas City Current played defending champion Gotham FC to a 1-1 tie on Sunday night to hold on to its lead in the NWSL with three wins and one tie for 10 points, its best start in four seasons.
Brazilian Bia Zaneratto set up Malawian Temwa Chawinga to give the Current in the 17th minute. Spaniard Esthér Gonzalez scored on a header off a corner kick to tie the match six minutes into the second half. The match drew 8,573 fans at Red Bull Arena, where Gotham FC handed out championship rings to its players..
“I’m proud of the team and proud of the group,” said first-year coach Vlatko Andonovski. “This was a tough environment. We go into their home opener, against the champions away, getting the point. I think that’s a big point for us.”
• More late dramatics in the Bay: Bay FC’s first home game ended with a 3-2 loss to Houston, a match decided late after it had pulled even minutes earlier. On Sunday, things were reversed. The expansion team defeated Seattle 3-2, getting the winner from Joelle Thompson in the 87th minute, four minutes after it conceded an equalizer. The match at PayPal Park drew another big crowd: 16,719.