With the National Women’s Soccer League season drawing toward a close, the Washington Spirit came into Wednesday’s match against the Western New York Flash looking to solidify their hold on a playoff position. In the 90th minute, they appeared headed for victory, but surrendered a late equalizer and settled for a 1-1 draw that left them plenty of work to do to ensure a postseason berth.
Attendance for the midweek game wasn’t quite what it was for the Spirit’s three previous post-World Cup home matches (all of which drew well over 5,000 people), but a boisterous crowd of 4,101 made it out to the Maryland SoccerPlex and were treated to an entertaining, though ultimately frustrating contest.
Spirit forward Crystal Dunn, who leads the NWSL with 12 goals this season, didn’t tally on Wednesday, but she was certainly the most aggressive attacking player on the pitch, particularly during a first half in which she put constant pressure on the Flash defense. In the 16th minute, she took a pass from teammate Ali Krieger and powered into the box past several defenders before unleashing a low, right-footed shot on goal. Western New York goalkeeper Chantel Jones was able to deflect it, but Washington’s Diana Matheson alertly pounced on the rebound and banged it into the net to make it 1-0.
Midfielder Christine Nairn nearly doubled the hosts’ advantage in the 20th minute, but her ambitious left-footed attempt from beyond 30 yards caromed off the goalpost. The woodwork would come into play again in the 71st minute, when the Flash’s Jaelene Hinkle collected a poor clearance by Krieger and fired a sizzling first-touch strike from the top of the penalty arc that clanged hard off the crossbar.
Washington had the better of play through much of the second half, but their efforts were undone in the 90th minute, when Hinkle curled in a ball from the left flank that took a couple of deflections in the box before landing at the feet of the Flash’s Lynn Williams. The rookie forward’s initial shot on goal was saved at point-blank range by Spirit keeper Ashlyn Harris, but Williams was able to control the rebound and calmly put the decisive strike into the top corner.
The Spirit still had ample opportunity to steal back a victory, as a whopping nine minutes of stoppage time were added on at the end of regulation. In the 94th minute, Whitney Church delivered a gorgeous through ball to Dunn, who left her defender in the dust as she dribbled into the penalty area before sending a sliding, right-footed shot over the crossbar. Dunn got a nearly identical chance a minute later when Krieger played her through into the box, but Jones was able to come off her line to smother the ball and preserve the draw.
After Wednesday’s action, Washington fell into the fourth and final playoff position in the NWSL standings, tied with third-place FC Kansas City with 25 points, but with an inferior goal differential (the Spirit do hold a game in hand). Portland Thorns FC lurk just 3 points behind. Washington now faces a tough stretch, with three straight road fixtures against quality opposition before returning to the SoccerPlex for their regular-season finale against league-leaders Seattle Reign FC on September 5. Krieger and Harris will miss the club’s next match against Chicago as they participate in the U.S. Women’s National Team’s “victory tour” friendlies against Costa Rica in Pittsburgh and Chattanooga over the next week.
