Recap: Spirit tops Vancouver 4-0 to remain undefeated in Concacaf W Champions Cup group play

Washington, D.C. (09/03/2025) – The Washington Spirit defeated Vancouver Rise FC Academy 4-0 on Wednesday night to remain atop Group B in the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup. 

The Spirit controlled possession out of the gate and didn’t let up, maintaining the ball 85% of the match. The opening third of the match saw the Spirit earn five corner kicks though the home side had difficulty placing shots on frame. 

The Spirit broke the deadlock in the 31st minute when defender Tara McKeown sent a strike from well outside the box past Vancouver goalkeeper Jessica Wulf. Approaching halftime, the Spirit continued pressing for another goal and Heather Stainbrook delivered in the 41st minute, heading in a lovely cross from Courtney Brown. With just minutes to play in the first half, the Spirit wasn’t done with the opening 45 just yet, as Trinity Rodman and Paige Metayer combined after some clever wing play. Rodman finished a Metayer cross into the box in the 45th minute, capping off a dominant first half with a 3-0 lead. 

Both teams made a number of substitutions in the second half. Washington sent Croix Bethune, Gabby Carle and recent NWSL debutant Deborah Abiodun in to start the second half, replacing Trinity Rodman, Paige Metayer and Tara McKeown, respectively. Forward Rosemonde Kouassi also entered the match in the 61st minute and quickly made her presence felt. Three minutes into her appearance, Kouassi made a run down the sideline into the box, cut back and fired a hard shot on target that was saved by Wulf. 

In the 70th minute, midfielders Narumi Miura and Bethune both had opportunities in the box: Narumi took a close-range shot from the center of the box that was saved before Bethune sent a rebound shot on target as well, but it was deflected out into the post. Vancouver’s defending third continued to hold firm until the 81st minute when Deborah Abiodun found a pocket of space at the top of the box. Her shot took a tough deflection before finding the back of the net for the Spirit’s fourth goal, assisted by Croix Bethune. The match finished 4-0, marking two wins in two games for the Spirit in the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup. Goalkeeper Sandy MacIver has now kept back-to-back clean sheets to start the tournament for Washington. 

Washington’s next group stage match will be against the tournament’s reigning champion Gotham FC on Wednesday, October 1 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. This match could decide the winner of Group B as both sides are currently 2-0-0 in the competition. 

The Spirit will remain home this weekend for its annual Kicking Women’s Cancer match at Audi Field on Sunday, September 7. Kicking off at 4 p.m. EDT, Washington will return to regular season play, take on Seattle Reign FC. Tickets are available here. 

 

-Concacaf W Champions Cup Match Report- 

Match: Washington Spirit vs. Vancouver Rise FC Academy 

Date: Wednesday September 3, 2025 

Venue: Audi Field (Washington, D.C.) 

Kickoff: 7 p.m. EDT 

Weather: Sunny, mid-70s 

 

Scoring Summary: 

Goals	1	2	F
Washington	3	1	4
Vancouver	0	0	0

WAS – Tara McKeown – 31′ (assisted by Kysha Sylla) 

WAS – Heather Stainbrook – 41′ (assisted by Courtney Brown) 

WAS – Trinity Rodman – 45′ (assisted by Paige Metayer) 

WAS – Deborah Abiodun – 81′ (assisted by Croix Bethune) 

 

Lineups: 

WAS: 28 – Sandy MacIver; 26 – Paige Metayer (14 – Gabby Carle, 46’); 25 – Kysha Sylla (6 – Kate Wieser, 61’); 9 – Tara McKeown (20 – Deborah Abiodun, 46’); 16 – Courtney Brown; 22 – Heather Stainbrook; 39 – Chloe Ricketts; 5 – Narumi Miura; 13 – Brittany Ratcliffe; 21 – Gift Monday (19 – Rosemonde Koussi, 61’); 2 – Trinity Rodman (7 – Croix Bethune, 46’) 

Unused Substitutes: 1 – Aubrey Kingsbury; 31 – Kaylie Collins; 10 – Leicy Santos; 17 – Hal Hershfelt; 27 – Sofia Cantore 

VAN: 31 – Jessica Wulf; 35 – Tristan Corneil; 45 – Myla Ewasiuk; 34 – Bridget Mutipula; 4 – Kayla Goncalves (51 – Kristen Sakaki, 46’); 38 – Chloe Taylor; 44 – Torah Betteridge (46 – Zahra Bains, 86’); 43 – Seina Kashima (33 – Racquel Partovi, 57’); 66 – Daniela Feria-estrada (41 – Bianca Patik, 57’); 25 – Nedya Sawan (49 – Jenna-Lee Baxter, 67’); 39 – Lacey Kindel 

Unused Substitutes: 42 – Samantha Powell; 36 – Elizabeth Hicks; 40 – Reese Moffatt; 47 – Adrianna Giese 

 

Stats Summary: WAS / VAN 

Shots: 26 / 1 

Shots On Goal: 10 / 1 

Saves: 1 / 6 

Fouls: 5 / 6 

Offsides: 2 / 0 

 

Misconduct Summary: 

WAS – Heather Stainbrook – 63’ – Yellow Card 

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