The Washington Spirit secured a 2-0 victory over the Portland Thorns with goals from Gift Monday and Croix Bethune, earning a spot in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) championship game. This win propels the Spirit into their second consecutive NWSL final, set to take place in San Jose, California, next weekend. The team will face the winner of the upcoming semifinal match between Gotham FC and the Orlando Pride.
This marks the Spirit’s fourth appearance in the NWSL championship game. In the previous season, they suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Pride. The pivotal moment in the match came when Rosemonde Kouassi set up Gift Monday for the opening goal after a swift counterattack initiated by a Thorns corner kick. Monday tapped in the ball from close range to put the Spirit ahead 1-0.
Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold showcased her skills with six saves, including two impressive back-to-back stops in the second half. Despite a missed opportunity by Spirit forward Sofia Cantore, Croix Bethune sealed the victory with a goal in the 83rd minute, securing a 2-0 win for Washington.
In a notable return, U.S. women’s national team forward Trinity Rodman made a late appearance after recovering from a knee injury. The semifinal match drew a sell-out crowd of 19,365 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., continuing the Spirit’s streak of hosting sell-out playoff games.
The Spirit’s strong performance sets the stage for an exciting showdown in the upcoming NWSL championship game.
