Spirit fall 2-1 at Kansas City after a 12th-minute lead evaporates

Early lead, early answer, late empty

CPKC Stadium did not wait long to flip the script. The Spirit opened the scoring in the 12th minute through Clara Luvanga, then watched Kansas City answer twice before the half was 20 minutes old. Lo’eau LaBonta equalized 79 seconds later; Vanessa DiBernardo finished a Croix Bethune feed in the 17th for the winner. Final: Current 2, Spirit 1 (Kansas City Current / Spirit match center).

Bethune’s assist was her 11th of the season — an NWSL single-season record, per the Current’s recap — and the home unbeaten run stretched again. Washington leaves with 52 points (16-9-4) and 3rd place intact; Kansas City sits 4th on 50 (15-9-5). Top-four seed math is still live heading into the final stretch.

Next on the Spirit board: home vs Chicago on Nov. 1 (5 p.m. ET) — confirm kick and TV on the club channels. The road result stings; the table still offers a quarterfinal host path if Washington stacks the last dates.

The Spirit page is the hub.

*Morning desk, Monday Oct 26, 2026. Final and scorers from kansascitycurrent.com / washingtonspirit.com.*

Sources

1. KC Current — Match recap

2. Washington Spirit — Match center