Washington Spirit’s Trinity Rodman wheeled off field after back injury

Three Kansas City Current players scored as a team as they defeated the visiting Washington Spirit 3-0 on Friday night in Kansas City, Missouri.

The goals for the Current (12-3-6, 42 points) were scored by Nichelle Prince, Lo’eau LaBonta and Temwa Chawinga, the latter of whom scored her 16th goal to extend their lead in the NWSL’s golden boot race. The Spirit (14-5-2, 44 points) suffered their first loss since a June 29 loss to the North Carolina Courage that ended a five-game unbeaten streak.

The Spirit still hold a two-point lead over the Current with five games remaining in the regular season.

Perhaps even more notable than the score was that Spirit defender and U.S. women’s national team player Trinity Rodman was carted off the field in a wheelchair in the 78th minute with an apparent injury.

Prince scored the Current’s first goal of the night in the fourth minute. After Michelle Cooper danced with a Washington defender on the right side of the penalty area, she sliced ​​the ball through the penalty area and Prince diverted it into the box with a light tap of her left boot. It was Prince’s first goal in a Kansas City uniform.

LaBonta added to the tally in the 31st minute, and in the 69th minute, Chawinga took the ball upfield and drew two defenders before handing it off to a teammate. The ball landed at the feet of Brazilian midfielder Debinha, who had two defenders and the Washington goalie chasing her into the right corner. With the penalty area wide open, Debinha chipped the ball back to Chawinga, who fired it home from close range.

The Spirit had more shots on goal (14-8) and shots on target (4-3) than the Current, but could not get the ball past Kansas City keeper Almuth Schult, who made four saves.