Trinity Byars snatched a crucial point for San Diego last night, dropping a late equalizer in a thrilling 2-2 draw against the Kansas City Current. That goal capped off her brace and absolutely blew up Kansas City’s impressive home regular season streak, a run that had held strong since last September. The Wave rolled into CPKC Stadium unfazed, taking an early lead, and showing why they are still sitting pretty at the top of the NWSL standings.
Byars Keeps Scoring, San Diego Starts Strong
Fresh off signing a contract extension through the 2028 season, Trinity Byars is already making that deal look like an absolute steal. The 23-year-old opened the scoring in the sixth minute. It was a beautiful sequence: Kimmi Ascanio intercepted a pass, found Gia Corley making a run, who then dished it to Byars. She snuck that ball past keeper Marisa Bova. That’s Corley’s third assist this season, by the way! Coach Jonas Eidevall mixed things up, putting Byars and Laurina Fazer into the starting lineup over Gabi Portilho and Melanie Barcenas. Nineteen-year-old Colombian goalkeeper Luisa Agudelo got her third start; she had a clean sheet against Gotham FC in her first, then conceded two against Los Angeles. New signing Sandra Paños was on the bench for the first time, a promising sign for her debut.
KC Rallies, But Byars Has the Last Word
Kansas City wasn’t going down without a fight. They started creating chances before halftime, and that momentum exploded into the second half. Croix Bethune and Temwa Chawinga, who leads the reigning NWSL Shield winners with eight goals, teamed up to bring the Current back. Bethune netted one in the 52nd minute off a cross from Laney Rouse, a tough one-touch shot. Then, nine minutes later, Bethune sent a long pass to a sprinting Chawinga on a fast break. Chawinga took one dribble and fired a left-footed shot past a diving Agudelo to make it 2-1. Kansas City has struggled on the road this season with six losses, but their home form is usually locked down. Michelle Cooper has four goals, and Bethune is a playmaker with five assists. But even with all that pressure, Trinity Byars, with her knack for the back of the net, struck again in the final minute of regulation, salvaging that crucial point for San Diego. Talk about clutch!
Despite a tough 2-0 loss last Saturday against rival Angel City FC, this draw keeps San Diego right where they want to be. They remain at the top of the NWSL standings with 28 points through 15 matches. With Byars playing like this, scoring when it matters most, the future for the Wave looks bright. Can they keep this momentum rolling?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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