Recap: Spirit settles for scoreless draw in road Rivalry Weekend match against Gotham FC

Harrison, N.J. (08/09/2025) – The Washington Spirit earned a point on Saturday afternoon in New Jersey, playing to a scoreless draw against rival Gotham FC. Captain and goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury earned her 42nd career regular season clean sheet, moving her back into a tie for fourth-most in league history. 

Gotham controlled the ball through much of the first 15 minutes of action, maintaining 66.4% possession. The home attack had an early chance with a run down the sideline and a shot on target. Star forward Esther González fired a shot from a sharp angle that was brought in by Kingsbury. 

The Spirit began to find its footing following the opening sixth of the match. In the 18th minute, Narumi Miura sent a through ball up to Gift Monday who made a run into the box but was unable to get a shot off. Two minutes later, Washington’s attack nearly forced an error by Gotham keeper Ann-Katrin Berger when she played the ball out of the box with her feet but the keeper was able to start a counterattack for the home side. Gotham attempted a deep through ball but Kingsbury was able to corral it before any shot attempt. 

Washington had three close attempts in the 25th and 26th minutes. First, Rosemonde Kouassi made a long run down the field and into the box but her shot was saved by a diving Berger. The next minute, Monday took a shot from a a sharp angle that was saved. Putting pressure on Berger after the save, the Spirit forced a misplayed ball that ended up at the feet of Kouassi though her quick shot bounced off the left post. 

In the following minutes, Spirit defender Gabby Carle ended up on the ground after a battle for the ball with Geyse. The play went to VAR and Geyse was issued a red card in the 30th minute. Ten minutes later, Kouassi found herself near the endline with the ball and attempted a cross into the center of the box but was intercepted by Berger. After five minutes of stoppage time, the match reached halftime in a scoreless tie. 

To start the second half, Ballon d’Or nominee Sofia Cantore subbed on for Kouassi, becoming the first Italian player to appear in a match in league history. Cantore got involved in the Spirit attack quickly as she and Croix Bethune combined for three shots over the next ten minutes. 

Last weekend’s hero Trinity Rodman subbed on in the 58th minute alongside Courtney Brown, the duo replaced Gift Monday and Kate Wiesner, respectively. Three minutes later, Narumi Miura earned a yellow card, her fifth of the regular season. She will now miss next Friday’s home match against Louisville. 

From the 60th minute through the 75th, the Spirit managed only one shot despite maintaining 73.4% possession. Gotham FC, however, made the most of its minimal possession across this time frame, keeping the ball in the Spirit’s defending third in the 72nd and 73rd minutes and managing two shots in rapid succession. 

The Spirit had its best chance to break the deadlock late in the 89th minute. Just over a minute after midfielder Heather Stainbrook subbed on for Bethune, Gotham’s Berger ended up on the ground following a Spirit ball into the box. With the ball loose in the box, Stainbrook was able to get a shot on target but it was cleared off the line by a Gotham defender. 

Late in stoppage time, Kingsbury had to make two more saves to preserve the draw including one in the final minute by a breaking Gotham player. Despite over 60 minutes up a player, the Spirit had to settle for a single point in its inaugural Rivalry Weekend meeting with Gotham FC. 

The Spirit will return home next weekend for a Friday Night Fútbol matchup with Racing Louisville FC. The match will kick off at 8 p.m. EDT on Friday, August 15. Tickets are available here. 

 

-NWSL Match Report- 

Match: Gotham FC vs. Washington Spirit 

Date: Saturday, August 9, 2025 

Venue: Sports Illustrated Stadium (Harrison, N.J.) 

Kickoff: 12 p.m. EDT 

Weather: Sunny, low-80s 

 

Scoring Summary: 

Goals	1	2	F
Gotham	0	0	0
Washington	0	0	0

 

Lineups: 

GFC: 30 – Ann-Katrin Berger; 4 – Lilly Reale; 27 – Jess Carter (19 – Kayla Duran, 79’); 6 – Emily Sonnett; 22 – Mandy Freeman; 11 – Sarah Schupansky (28 – Katie Stengel, 63’); 7 – Jaelin Howell; 16 – Rose Lavelle (14 – Nealy Martin, 63’); 34 – Khyah Harper (18 – Gabi Porilho, 46’); 10 – Geyse; 9 – Esther González (23 – Midge Purce, 88’) 

Unused Substitutes: 1 – Shelby Hogan; 3 – Bruninha; 8 – Taryn Torres; 21 – Sofia Cook 

WAS: 1 – Aubrey Kingsbury; 6 – Kate Wiesner (16 – Courtney Brown, 58’); 24 – Esme Morgan; 9 – Tara McKeown; 14 – Gabby Carle; 17 – Hal Hershfelt; 5 – Narumi Miura (8 – Makenna Morris, 71’); 4 – Rebeca Bernal; 7 – Croix Bethune (22 – Heather Stainbrook, 88’); 21 – Gift Monday (2 – Trinity Rodman, 58’); 19 – Rosemonde Kouassi (27 – Sofia Cantore, 46’) 

Unused Substitutes: 28 – Sandy MacIver; 13 – Brittany Ratcliffe; 25 – Kysha Sylla; 26 – Paige Metayer 

 

Stats Summary: GFC / WAS 

Shots:  9 / 11 

Shots On Goal: 4 / 4 

Saves: 3 / 4 

Fouls: 13 / 13 

Offsides: 1 / 2 

 

Misconduct Summary: 

WAS – Kate Wiesner – 11’ – Yellow Card 

GFC – Geyse – 30’ – Red Card 

GFC – Rose Lavelle – 59’ – Yellow Card 

WAS – Narumi Miura – 61’ – Yellow Card 

GFC – Esther González – 72’ – Yellow Card 

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