Aubrey Kingsbury made three crucial penalty saves in the shootout, leading the Washington Spirit to a victory over defending champion Gotham FC on Saturday. This win propelled the Spirit into the National Women’s Soccer League championship. They will now face the victor of the Sunday semifinal between the Orlando Pride and the Kansas City Current in the NWSL championship match next Saturday.
Esther González put Gotham ahead early, but Hal Hershfelt equalized in second-half stoppage time. Neither team could score in extra time, forcing the game into a penalty shootout. Ashley Hatch, Lena Silano, and Tara McKeown all converted their penalties for the Spirit, while Kingsbury’s diving saves thwarted Gotham’s first three attempts.
“I just wanted to do what I could to help the team win,” said Kingsbury after the game. “We’ve been practicing for these moments, and after grinding out those 120 minutes, I knew my teammates would step up – and I just did my part.”
Gotham (17-4-5) began the match with high energy, forcing multiple early turnovers with their aggressive pressing. Esther González struck the crossbar in the first minute, and Ella Stevens’ header hit the left post in the eighth.
The Spirit (18-6-2) gradually navigated around Gotham’s pressure, registering four shots on target in the first half, but Ann-Katrin Berger made several key saves. After a goalless first half, Esther González headed Yazmeen Ryan’s cross past Kingsbury in the 56th minute, giving Gotham the lead.
The Spirit, playing in front of a sellout crowd of 19,365 at Audi Field, pressed for an equalizer and found it in stoppage time. Tara McKeown was fouled just outside the 18-yard box, resulting in a dangerous free kick in the 93rd minute. Hershfelt headed in Makenna Morris’ cross to level the score.
Substitute Bruninha received her second yellow card in the 101st minute, pushing Trinity Rodman out of bounds, leaving Gotham a player down for the final 19 minutes of extra time. Despite this, Gotham, who conceded the fewest goals this season (20), managed to hold on, sending the game to penalties.
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