Team News: Purce, Shaw Return to Starting XI for KC Rematch Gotham FC’s star attackers Midge Purce and Jaedyn Shaw are set to return to the starting lineup for Saturday’s match against the Kansas City Current at CPKC Stadium. The game, scheduled for a 4 p.m. ET kickoff, marks a rematch of last year’s historic NWSL quarterfinal, where the eighth-seeded Gotham FC stunned the top-seeded Current to advance to the championship. The club’s lineup will see two key changes following its 0-0 draw against the Orlando Pride in its previous match. Lead assistant coach Shaun Harris will take over as head coach Juan Carlos Amorós is absent due to family obligations, as his wife prepares for the arrival of their second child. The broadcast will be carried by CBS. This weekend’s match will be Gotham FC’s first visit to Kansas City since their 2025 postseason victory, a moment that reshaped NWSL history. As the No. 8 seed, Gotham became the first team to defeat a No. 1 seed in playoff history, securing a historic win over the Current, which had set the regular-season record. Purce, a veteran forward, will make her second start of the regular season and first since the opening match against Boston. She has previously scored two goals against the Current, while Shaw, returning to the XI for the first time since March 14, will face Kansas City after contributing a goal and an assist in last year’s playoff clash. The duo will partner with Spanish striker Esther González up front. In midfield, Rose Lavelle will captain Gotham FC, having recently joined the NWSL’s 100-match club after a performance against Orlando. She will start alongside Savannah McCaskill and Jaelin Howell, who leads the team with 23 duels this season. The trio will start together for the fourth time in five matches.#jaedyn_shaw #kansas_city_current #gotham_fc #midge_purce #cpkc_stadium
USA 2-0 Argentina in SheBelieves Cup Opener The United States women’s national team secured a dominant 2-0 victory over Argentina in the opening match of the 2026 SheBelieves Cup on Sunday, March 1. The win extended the Americans’ streak of consecutive shutouts to six games and marked their first win in the tournament since the round-robin format was introduced. Lindsey Heaps and Jaedyn Shaw led the charge for the U.S., with Heaps scoring the opening goal in the 19th minute and adding an assist. Heaps received a pass from Emma Sears on the left wing, then converted the opportunity with a left-footed strike from just outside the penalty area. The goal marked Heaps’ 39th international goal, the highest total among current U.S. players. Shaw doubled the lead in the 56th minute with a right-footed shot that curved toward the left post. The goal was her 10th international tally, showcasing her growing impact for the team. After Shaw’s goal, Lilly Reale was substituted due to a right leg injury, with Emily Fox coming on in her place. Argentina’s Milagros Martín received a yellow card in stoppage time for shoving Trinity Rodman from behind. Rodman was treated on the field during the second half but did not return for the final minutes of the match. The U.S. controlled the game’s tempo, holding 67.7% possession and recording three shots on target. Argentina managed only one shot on goal against U.S. goalkeeper Claudia Dickey. The SheBelieves Cup, featuring teams from the U.S., Canada, Argentina, and Colombia, will move to Columbus, Ohio, on March 4, where the U.S. will face Canada. Canada opened the tournament with a 4-1 win over Colombia, with Vanessa Gilles, Janine Sonis, Sydney Collins, and Nichelle Prince scoring. The U.S.#shebelieves_cup #argentina #usa_wnt #lindsey_heaps #jaedyn_shaw
