Kansas City Current dominates Chicago in regular-season finale. Up next: NWSL playoffs

The Kansas City Current was without MVP front-runner and NWSL record goalscorer Temwa Chawinga for Sunday’s regular-season finale in Chicago.

It was no problem for the Current, who raced out to a big lead over the Chicago Red Stars by the 33rd minute — thanks to three goals in nine minutes.

Ally Schlegel added a consolation goal in the second half for the Red Stars, but the Current got all it needed winning 3-1.

Michelle Cooper scored her third goal of the season in the 24th minute, finishing with an expert left-footed strike past Alyssa Naeher. That goal was the 55th of the season for the Current, which broke the record for team goals scored in a season.

Two minutes later, that record was pushed to 56 when Nichelle Prince made a strong effort to beat her defender to the ball before it went out of bounds. Prince passed to Vanessa DiBernardo, who poked the ball back to Debinha. Debinha’s shot tucked into the bottom corner off the post for her second straight game with a goal.

Prince added another for the Current when a Red Stars defender blocked a shot from DiBernardo straight into her path. Prince ripped a shot off the rebound past Naeher to make it 3-0 in the 33rd minute.

Schlegel scored, beating goalkeeper Almuth Schult in the 53rd minute. That marked just the third goal from open play the Current has conceded since a 2-1 loss to North Carolina on September 1.

The Current finished the regular season with a record of 16 wins, 3 losses, 7 draws for a club best 55 points. KC scored 57 goals and had a goal differential of plus-26. The Current finished in fourth in the NWSL, just one point behind both Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit for third and second, respectively.

The team’s attention turns to the North Carolina Courage, who will meet the Current in the NWSL quarterfinals. That matchup at CPKC Stadium is on Saturday, with kickoff slated for 11 a.m.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.