Washington Spirit Advances to Semifinals After Dramatic Quarterfinal Win

WASHINGTON — The Washington Spirit demonstrated resilience in their NWSL quarterfinal match at Audi Field on Saturday, successfully advancing to the semifinals for a second consecutive year.

With star forward Trinity Rodman sidelined on the bench and two starting defenders removed from play due to injuries, the Spirit showcased strong performance in the first half against No. 7 seed Racing Louisville FC. However, they conceded an equalizer during stoppage time in the second half.

After a scoreless extra time, the match proceeded to penalty kicks where goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury emerged as a hero, leading the Spirit to a 3-1 shootout victory.

Gift Monday opened the scoring for the Spirit in the 73rd minute. Despite maintaining over 70% possession throughout regulation, Racing Louisville’s Kayla Fischer scored in stoppage time, forcing the match into extra time.

“I believed we wouldn’t lose this game,” said Spirit head coach Adrián González. “All credit goes to the players for their perseverance. We maintained our mentality of persistence.”

The Spirit will host either the Portland Thorns or San Diego Wave in the upcoming semifinal at Audi Field.

Rodman, although listed as questionable and available as a substitute, observed the match in a tracksuit and did not participate in warm-ups. González refrained from confirming whether there was a plan for her to play, noting that it depends on the moment’s assessment. He expressed optimism about Rodman’s recovery journey.

“She is making excellent progress,” González commented. “She has worked diligently to arrive at this point. Her presence on the bench today was meaningful for the team and the fans.”

Rodman had previously sprained the MCL in her right knee last month, preventing her from participating in the season’s final games and a significant international camp. Her ongoing back injury had already limited her availability for roughly half of the NWSL season.

The Spirit’s victory in the shootout grants Rodman additional time to recover, although the team’s injury woes continued as starting fullback Gabby Carle sustained a hamstring injury early in the match, and center-back Tara McKeown left with an ankle injury. McKeown was later seen on crutches in the tunnel.

Monday’s goal came shortly after the passing of her father. After returning to Nigeria to be with her family, she rejoined the Spirit earlier this week.

“Football brings me joy despite my circumstances… I need to keep moving forward for him and for myself,” Monday expressed. She dedicated her goal to Spirit fans and her late father, acknowledging his pivotal role in her development as a player.

“He was my first coach, instilling in me the belief to keep pushing forward. This goal reassures me that he is with me, guiding my strength to persevere.”

Though Monday’s goal did not secure the win, the Spirit triumphed in a thrilling penalty shootout before an enthusiastic sellout crowd of 19,215 fans.

Kingsbury was once again the standout in this high-pressure scenario. Last year, she saved all three shots in the shootout against NJ/NY Gotham FC during the semifinals. In this match, she denied efforts from Marisa DiGrande and Ary Borges, while Ellie Jean’s shot hit the crossbar, as her teammates successfully converted all their penalty attempts. Kingsbury now holds the record for the most career shootout saves in NWSL history with nine.

“I imagine our previous shootout successes weigh on the minds of our opponents,” said Kingsbury. “Our fans have been incredibly supportive, and their energy adds to the challenge for opposing teams to score against us.”

Information from ESPN Research contributed to this report.