Preview: Spirit Returns to Audi Field in Revenge Match Against Portland Thorns FC

Washington, D.C. (09/06/2024) – The Washington Spirit will face Portland Thorns FC on Saturday in the final regular season matchup between the sides this year. The match begins at 12:30 p.m. EDT at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. and will be broadcast nationally on CBS. Fans can also listen to the team’s local radio broadcast on WashingtonSpirit.com or the ESPN 630 AM website or app.

 

The Spirit

Last Sunday, the Spirit drew San Diego Wave FC, 1-1, in a hard-fought road match. Despite the result, the Spirit dominated the match statistically. The Spirit outshot Wave FC (18-8), including 15 shots inside the Wave box. Leicy Santos nearly found the winner for the Spirit, but the shot ricocheted off the crossbar.

Santos was one of the Spirit’s most impactful players, logging a game-high six shots. Trinity Rodman nearly matched Santos with five shots. Since the beginning of last season, the Spirit has had multiple players attempt at least five shots in a game twice, both times against San Diego (Rodman & Ashley Sanchez in May 2023).

Portland has historically been a thorn in the Spirit’s side. So much so, the Spirit’s lowest winning percentage against any opponent in the team’s history comes against Portland. The Spirit has only won three of the 26 regular season meetings with Thorns FC.

Thorns FC has won four of six road matches against the Spirit since the beginning of the 2018 season (D1, L1), scoring at least once in each match. Portland has a +6 goal differential (17-11) in 12 all-time road matches against Washington, the best of any NWSL team in away matches against the Spirit.

Washington’s last home match was a 4-1 win over Kansas City, the second time the Spirit has scored four or more goals in a home match in the 2024 regular season (4-2 vs. Angel City on May 18). The two occurrences match Washington’s total number of four-goal games at home in the regular season from 2013-2023.

With a start in Saturday’s match, Aubrey Kingsbury will record her 125th start with the Spirit. This would make her only the third goalkeeper in NWSL history to accomplish this feat with a single club, joining Jane Campbell (HOU) and Alyssa Naeher (CHI).

The Spirit are set to break a club record for different goal-scorers in one season should one more player score their first goal of the season. Currently, 13 different players have accounted for the Spirit’s club record 37 goals this year.

Earlier this week, Rodman and Head Coach Jonatan Giráldez were recognized on the international level. Rodman was nominated for the Ballon d’Or Féminin, recognizing the world’s top female soccer player, and Giráldez was nominated for the Ball d’Or Women’s Team Coach of the Year Trophy, recognizing the top women’s soccer coach in the world.

Next up, the Spirit remains at Audi Field to finish its season series against the Houston Dash. The match kicks off at 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, September 15. Tickets are available here.

 

The Opposition

Bay FC handed Portland Thorns FC its second consecutive loss last week. Sophia Smith scored in the match, but it was not enough to overcome Bay FC’s three goals. The Thorns surrendered two goals within 18 minutes of the match, both off crosses that resulted in Bay goals.

Smith’s goal was her 11th of the season, the same number that won her the 2023 NWSL Golden Boot. This marks her third straight regular season with more than 10 goals. The only other player in NWSL history with three straight seasons of 11+ goals is Sam Kerr, who did so from 2017 to 2019.

Portland has dropped consecutive league matches, losing 2-0 at Gotham and 3-1 at home to Bay FC. Portland hasn’t lost three straight regular season games in a single season since doing so twice in 2015. The team is also looking to avoid losing three straight league matches by 2+ goals for the first time ever.

The recent stretch of poor form, finding only one win in the last five matches, has resulted in the Thorns dropping to sixth on the NWSL table. With 27 points, Portland is seven points out from a top four seed and home field advantage in the first round of the NWSL Playoffs.

Although Thorns FC has dropped in the standings, the team’s statistical figures across many categories closely resemble that of the Spirit. In the following categories, the Spirit and Thorns FC stand within only one or two positions of each other in league rankings: goals, assists, shots, shots on target, saves and possession.

The Thorns got the better of the Spirit in the last match between the sides, extending Portland’s streak of never dropping a match to the Spirit at its home venue. It was a rainy affair, and the Thorns jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. Lena Silano recorded her first goal of the season in the 86th minute to cut the deficit in half.

Picking up three points at home will be crucial to the Spirit’s NWSL Shield aspirations. The undefeated Orlando Pride currently sits in first place with 44 points, while the Spirit sits in second with 38 points. The two teams will meet in Florida in October.

The Thorns will next face the Chicago Red Stars at home on Friday, September 13 at 10 p.m. EDT.

 

Notables

• The Washington Spirit owns a 3-15-8 regular season record against Portland Thorns FC. This marks the lowest winning percentage the Spirit has against a single club in the NWSL. The Spirit is searching for its first win against Portland since 2019.

The post Preview: Spirit Returns to Audi Field in Revenge Match Against Portland Thorns FC appeared first on Washington Spirit.