Audi Field | Washington, District of Columbia – Sunday, May 28 at 5:00 PM ET
Players to watch:
Washington defender Sam Staab scored the Spirit’s lone goal in their 2-1 defeat to Orlando on Saturday, her first regular season goal of the year and second overall. This is also the first time she’s scored twice in a calendar year. All six of Staab’s career goals have come off set pieces, including four off corners. Staab is one of five goalscorers for Washington this year, with forward Ashley Hatch leading the way with five goals and fellow attacker Trinity Rodman just behind her with three goals.
Gotham forward Lynn Williams has been on an absolute tear as of late, scoring a goal in seven of her last 10 appearances in all NWSL competitions including in the club’s 4-1 win at OL Reign on Sunday. Williams has scored in 59 different matches in her NWSL career (all competitions), tied with Christine Sinclair and Sam Kerr for most in league history.
Match facts: The Washington Spirit look to bounce back from their first loss of the season last week as they host NJ/NY Gotham FC at Audi Field on Sunday to close out a full slate around the league across the weekend. Washington currently sits in 3rd place on 15 points (W4 D3 L1), equal with Portland and San Diego on points but behind the others on goal differential. Meanwhile, Gotham sits proudly in 1st place with 16 points (W5 D1 L2), a position the club took after last week’s win against the Reign.
Washington’s first league defeat of the season came last weekend in the form of a 2-1 road loss against Orlando. The Spirit remain unbeaten through three home matches this regular season (W2 D1) and have won five of their last seven home matches in all competitions (D1 L1) dating back to last September.
Gotham sits deservedly atop the league table on 16 points after eight matches, three more than they totaled during the entire 2022 season. Gotham has won four of its first five regular season road matches this year, the fifth team in NWSL history to win four of its first five on the road and first since the Courage in 2018 (5).
Gotham has lost only three of its 11 meetings with the Spirit in all competitions since 2020 (W4 D4) after losing eight of the previous 10 meetings from late 2016 through 2019. That includes a 1-0 win in a Challenge Cup match in April as Gotham hasn’t won consecutive matches against Washington since 2016.
