The Washington Spirit secured a 2-0 victory over the Portland Thorns, thanks to goals from Gift Monday and Croix Bethune, earning them a spot in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) championship game. This win sets up the Spirit for their second consecutive NWSL final, which will take place in San Jose, California next weekend. They will face the winner of the Gotham FC versus Orlando Pride semifinal match scheduled for Sunday.
This marks the fourth time the Spirit will compete for the NWSL championship. In the previous season, the Spirit suffered a 1-0 defeat against the Pride in the final. The opening goal for the Spirit was initiated by Rosemounde Kouassi, who sprinted 80 yards to set up Gift Monday for a close-range tap-in during the 27th minute.
Kouassi’s assist to Monday marked the sixth time this season they connected for a goal, continuing their impressive playoff form. Despite Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold’s efforts, making six saves including a pair of acrobatic stops in the 56th and 57th minutes, the Spirit maintained their lead.
Sofia Cantore missed a chance to extend the lead to 2-0 when she struck the post in the 69th minute. However, Croix Bethune secured the win for the Spirit with a composed finish in the 83rd minute after breaking free from the Thorns’ defense.
U.S. women’s national team forward Trinity Rodman returned to action from a knee injury in the 90th minute, replacing Cantore. Rodman almost added a third goal in stoppage time, narrowly missing the target with a low shot from inside the box.
The NWSL semifinal match drew a capacity crowd of 19,365 spectators at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. This marks the second consecutive year the Spirit has hosted an NWSL Playoff semifinal, with the team selling out their fourth consecutive playoff game.