The Spirit defeated Racing Louisville (3-1) in penalty kicks in front of a sold-out crowd at Audi Field. The 19,215 Spirit fans enjoyed an epic three hours of quality football. Louisville’s Kayla Fischer and Washington’s Gift Monday were the goal scorers on the day. Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury had the game of her life, making seven saves and denying two penalties.
Spirit head coach Adrián González came out with a strong starting XI for their early afternoon contest. Rose Kouassi, Croix Bethune, Leicy Santos, Sofia Cantore, and Gift Monday returned to the roster after missing last week’s loss to Utah Royals. Superstar Trinity Rodman was on the bench, as she’s still recovering from a leg injury.
On a counterattack in the 15th minute, the Spirit had a good chance at breaking the deadlock. Rose Kouassi used technical skill to best her defender. After crossing the midfield line, she created some space and passed to Croix Bethune on her left. After a few dribbles, Croix took a shot on goal that was blocked out of bounds by a defender. On the ensuing corner, the ball was played into Kouassi near the corner. Sizing up the box, she curled a cross into the far corner that bounced past the keeper into the net. But after video review from the first official, the goal was rescinded.
The Spirit kept up the pressure and maintained possession in Louisville’s half. As Racing continued to pack their half, Sofia Cantore had a go from distance, but the effort sailed over the bar.
Unlike the first half, the Spirit hit a proverbial wall in the second. Their attack had fallen flat in the opening 20 minutes. Louisville, however, continued to sit deep in anticipation of a counterattack.
The match was physical, and Racing Louisville wasn’t afraid to test the Spirit’s mettle in that arena. With hard fouls arriving frequently without consequence, Tara McKeown, Gabby Carle, Croix Bethune, and Leicy Santos all went down at some point. Carle was the only one of the bunch who had to be substituted.
The Spirit finally got their opening goal in the 73rd minute from Gift Monday. Rose Kouassi sent in a beautiful cross to Monday in the center of the box. The Nigerian star out-jumped her defender and redirected her header past Louisville keeper Jordyn Bloomer.
After the goal, Louisville started to feel the pressure and upped the pressure against the Spirit. After a dispossession in the Spirit’s defensive third, Louisville’s Kayla Fischer flicked a ball over Aubrey Kingsbury. Due to a lack of accuracy, it sailed out of play for a goal kick.
With eight minutes of stoppage time, the intensity rose quickly from both sides as the Spirit tried to hold on to a win, and Louisville fought for their playoff lives. Racing’s efforts paid off after Courtney Peterson lobbed a ball into the box to Kayla Fischer. Fischer’s effort took a deflection off Kingsbury and rolled into the back of the net. With neither team able to break the deadlock, the match went to extra time.
By the 10th minute of extra time, bodies were flying everywhere. Knees were taped, legs were stretched, and the players were starting to feel the pace. The latest victim, Tara McKeown, was subbed off for Kysha Sylla after sustaining an injury.
In the second half of stoppage time, the sides went back and forth with near misses. If Narumi Miura tried from distance, the ball sailed just wide. If Lauren Milliet sent in a cross, it fell a few yards too short. Desperation was starting to set in as we saw a pitch full of tired legs trying to push through. In the end, nobody could find the back of the net, and the match went to penalty kicks.
Penalty Shootout:
-Racing made their first attempt, the Spirit matched them through Rebeca Bernal
-Ellie Jean skies her attempt, Esme Morgan crushed hers (Spirit up 2-1)
-Marisa DiGrande’s penalty is blocked by Kingsbury. Hal Hershfelt converts her try (Spirit up 3-1)
-After Ary Borges’ shot was blocked, the game ended with Spirit winning 3-1 in penalties
“The standing section was absolutely packed, and I decided, ‘I wanted to be involved!’ so I climbed the platform, grabbed a flag, and joined them,” said Esme Morgan of joining fans in the stands after the win. All the players embraced the moment and spent extra time with the fans, and “the wall” known as Aubrey Kingsbury.
“I’m an Aubrey stan through and through,” said Hal Hershfelt about her captain’s performance. “I just feel so good knowing that when we get in those high-stakes moments that we have someone like that in our net.”
“Honestly, I think we played really well,” said a smiling Croix Bethune. “And we won, so that’s what matters.”
With injuries piling up, it seems by the week, the Spirit will have to carefully plan out their week in the lead up to the semifinal after the club’s starters took a hammering today.
Racing Louisville’s season comes to an end, but at the very least, they fought to the last second. The Spirit hang on to survive a three-hour thriller. They advance to the semifinal next weekend to face the winner of Sunday’s match between the Portland Thorns and the San Diego Wave.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Washington Spirit