SAN JOSE, Calif. (Sept. 4, 2026) – Bay FC fell 2-1 Friday night at home to the Kansas City Current, despite another strong performance at PayPal Park. Forward Karlie Lema leveled the match for Bay FC before halftime after an early score from Kansas City, but the Current netted the decider with two minutes remaining after a tightly played second half.
“I thought we did a great job to get a goal back in the first half and get ourselves back in at 1-1,” said head coach Emma Coates. “They sort of adapted a couple of things in the second half from their in possession play just to try and obviously adjust to what we’d done. I’ll take that as a compliment that they were having to adjust and adapt to us. It’s just as I say, disappointing to concede later on again.”
Bay FC started fast and nearly opened the scoring just five minutes into the match. Forward Alex Pfeiffer broke a spell of midfield press by Kansas City and played through to forward Karlie Lema, but her ball wasn’t quite strong enough to give Lema a chance at goal. Kansas City opened the scoring in the 11th minute in rare fashion, as midfielder Izzy Rodriguez put her club ahead direct from a corner kick, one of few olimpico goals in NWSL history.
Defender Heather Gilchrist made a huge stop for Bay FC on the defensive end near the 20-minute mark as the visitors threatened to double their advantage. A cross played in took a deflection into space near the penalty spot for Kansas City forward Debinha to let loose a strike at target, but a strong sliding effort from Gilchrist kept the chance out. Bay FC took momentum from the play and nearly scored at the other end, but the Kansas City backline beat Pfeiffer in the footrace to the ball.
Bay FC leveled the match just before the halftime whistle as Lema netted her sixth score of the campaign. A ball played in by forward Cristiana Girelli put Pfeiffer one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but the youngster saw her attempt blocked by a sliding effort. The rebound fell straight to Lema, who put the ball in the back of the net with her first touch.
Both teams were patient as they looked to develop opportunities in the second half. Bay FC held the better end of the possession balance throughout the half, but Kansas City began to apply more pressure as time ticked down. A pair of saves by goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz, including a stellar leaping effort to deny a shot from distance in the 78th minute, kept the match tied heading into the final ten minutes of the contest.
Bay FC threatened in the final ten minutes after changes brought attacking firepower off the bench. Forward Racheal Kundananji entered as a second half substitute and nearly put her club ahead, but an 83rd minute chance was blocked after the Zambian cut inside from the left. Midfielder Hannah Bebar missed just high on a volley towards goal with four minutes to go as the club mounted a spell of late attacking pressure.
Kansas City pulled ahead with a minute to go as substitute Rocky Rodriguez netted a go-ahead score in the 89th minute. A long-distance effort went past the outstretched dive of Silkowitz in goal and into the back of the net after Kansas City played centrally from the left flank.
Bay FC kicks off a busy stretch of three matches in eight days next Saturday, Sept. 12 as the club visits Seattle Reign FC on the road. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. PT, and the match will broadcast live on NWSL+.
Bay FC v Kansas City Current
September 4, 2026
PayPal Park, San Jose, Calif.
Kickoff: 7:10 p.m.
Weather: 73 degrees, clear
Attendance: 10, 569
Discipline
KC – Rouse (caution) 37′
BAY – Lema (caution) 67′
KC – Bethune (caution) 73′
Scoring Summary
KC – I. Rodriguez 11′
BAY – Lema 45+3′
KC – R. Rodriguez (Bethune) 89′
| Goals | 1 | 2 | F |
| Bay FC | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kansas City Current | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Starting Lineups
Bay FC: Silkowitz, Nighswonger, Anderson (Cometti 54′), Gilchrist (Bailey 85′), Collins (C), Bebar, Hutton, Girelli, Pfeiffer (Holzheier 85′), Lema (Kundananji 73′), Huff
Unused Substitutes: Miller, Allen, Hubly, Conti, Barry
Kansas City Current: Jordan, Rouse (White 76′), Gemelli, I. Rodriguez, Sharples, Bethune, LaBonta (C), DiBernardo (Hocking 84′), Hopkins, Cooper, Debinha (R. Rodriguez 66′)
Unused Substitutes: Paul, Feist, Williams-Mosier
