Audi Field | Washington, District of Columbia – Sunday, September 3 at 5:00 PM ET
Players to watch:
After her game-tying goal on Sunday, forward Ashley Hatch now has scored a game-tying or game-winning penalty kick three different times in the regular season in her NWSL career. Hatch’s three result-changing penalties in stoppage time are the most of any player in league history.
Chicago midfielder Julia Bianchi delivered the fourth assist of her NWSL career in Chicago’s 1-1 draw with North Carolina on Sunday. All four of Bianchi’s assists have been on headed goals, as she joins Courtney Petersen (4) as the only NWSL players at three or more career assists with 100 percent of them resulting in headed goals.
Match facts: As the push for the NWSL Playoffs continues, the Washington Spirit host the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday evening in the first of a packed three-game Sunday across the league. Washington currently sit in 5th place with 26 points from 17 games played, while Chicago is bottom of the table in 12th place with 17 points from 17 games played.
The Spirit earned a 1-1 draw against Portland on Sunday despite trailing entering second-half stoppage time. It was Washington’s first time earning at least a point in a regular season match in which they trailed in the 90thminute or later since doing so in July of 2017 against the Orlando Pride.
On the other side, defense is one of the big hindrances for Chicago as the Red Stars have allowed 39 goals this season, the most through 17 league games of a season in NWSL history. Chicago’s 24 goals allowed through nine road games are third-most allowed at this point in a season in league history with only the Boston Breakers having more (2015 – 26, 2016 – 25).
Chicago are unbeaten in their last six road games in regular season play against the Spirit (W4 D2) with Washington’s last home regular season win coming in the 2016 season. It is the longest regular season unbeaten streak ever for an opponent in road games against Washington.
