Hopkins Hat Trick Powers Kansas City Before Niehues Answers Late for Angel City

Haley Hopkins turned an early deficit into a rout for Kansas City. Denver went ahead through Lindsey Heaps in the 13th minute, but Hopkins equalized in the 39th, pounced on an errant back pass and beat Abby Smith to it in the 47th, then finished Temwa Chawinga’s service in the 57th to complete her first NWSL hat trick. Chawinga added the fourth in the 76th after a VAR review confirmed she was onside, giving the Current a 4-1 victory and temporarily moving them ahead of Angel City with 41 points. The win also extended Kansas City’s NWSL-record home unbeaten streak to 30 matches.

Then Angel City answered. Washington kept the match scoreless until the 88th minute, when Maiara Niehues, only five minutes after coming off the bench, scored the goal that gave Angel City a 1-0 road victory. The win moved Angel City back above Kansas City with 42 points and within four of the Spirit.