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Washington, D.C. (11/10/2024) – A sold out crowd of 19,215 fans – the largest on the East Coast in NWSL Playoff history – packed Audi Field to watch the Spirit defeat Bay FC, 2-1, in extra time. The come-from-behind victory sets up the fifth NWSL Semifinal in club history. The Spirit entered the playoffs having won five straight home matches for the first time in team history, and this win adds one more win to that tally.
The Spirit lineup kept a similar form as the one that earned victories in the team’s last three matches, including the undefeated, all-rookie midfield of Heather Stainbrook, Hal Hershfelt, and Courtney Brown.On the backline, Esme Morgan returned to the starting lineup at the center back position.
The first half was a tightly contested battle between the two sides, with neither side conceding any major opportunities. The Spirit marginally led the possession battle and logged one more shot on goal than Bay FC. October/November NWSL Rookie of the Month and Best XI recipient, Makenna Morris, and Trinity Rodman accounted for both shots on goal and were causing Bay issues on the wing.
Similarly, Bay FC’s offense ran through its stars Asisat Oshoala and Racheal Kundananji. Entering the match, either Oshoala or Kundananji have been involved in Bay’s last seven goals (excluding own goals). The duo accounted for three shots and five touches inside the box in the first half.
The 0-0 stalemate at halftime marked the first time the Spirit had been held scoreless after 45 minutes of play since the Spirit’s loss to Orlando over a month ago. The last time the Spirit won a match after failing to score in the first half came on September 7 when the Spirit took down Portland Thorns FC off a game-winning header from Leicy Santos in second-half stoppage time.
Out of the locker room, the Spirit was the only side to make a change, bringing on Santos in place of Brown. A few minutes into the second half, Hershfelt received a yellow card.
Rodman continued to cause problems and frustration for Bay FC defenders who knocked her over on consecutive series, eventually culminating in a yellow card for Bay’s Alyssa Malonson. Still, the Spirit had nothing on the scoreboard to show for its efforts.
The dam broke in the 82nd minute when a scramble in the Spirit box led to a Bay goal from Oshoala. The Spirit countered tactically minutes later bringing on Lena Silano and Paige Metayer in the waning moments.
Bedlam is one of only a few words that can accurately describe the sellout Audi Field crowd when center back Tara McKeown – who is coming off an Iron Woman regular season – sent a tying goal into the net four minutes later. Her first goal of the season (all competitions) was a big one, breathing life into the Spirit. The Spirit has now scored 12 goals this season in the 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the NWSL this season.
Following the equalizer, the Spirit launched into an offensive frenzy, controlling the pace and possession of the match. The Spirit continued knocking on the door, feeling like a threat to score at any moment. This was punctuated by Hershfelt’s shot that blasted off the woodwork in the 90+10’ minute before the regulation whistle blew.
The Spirit entered the extra time period having made four substitutions, while Bay FC kept all but one of its starters on the field. In the 96th minute, Audi Field erupted once again when a Rodman cross in the box deflected off Bay defender and former Spirit player, Caprice Dydasco, and into the net.
Both teams battled through an additional half of extra time with the Spirit clearly the more energized team, staving off all Bay FC attempts.
-NWSL Match Report-
Match: Washington Spirit vs. Bay FC
Date: Sunday, November 10, 2024
Venue: Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m. EST
Weather: Overcast, low 60s
Scoring Summary:
| Goals | 1 | 2 | ET | F |
| Washington | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Bay | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
BAY – Asisat Oshoala – 82’ (assisted by Penelope Hocking)
WAS – Tara McKeown – 86’
WAS – Caprice Dydasco (OG) – 96’
Lineups:
WAS: 1 – Aubrey Kingsbury; 14 – Gabby Carle; 24 – Esme Morgan; 9 – Tara McKeown; 3 – Casey Krueger (26 – Paige Metayer, 85′); 16 – Courtney Brown (10 – Leicy Santos, 46’); 17 – Hal Hershfelt; 22 – Heather Stainbrook (6 – Kate Wiesner, 79’); 8 – Makenna Morris (4 – Lena Silano, 85’); 33 – Ashley Hatch (13 – Brittany Ratcliffe, 119’); 2 – Trinity Rodman
Unused Substitutes: 28 – Nicole Barnhart; 5 – Annaïg Butel; 32 – Jenna Butler; 39 – Chloe Ricketts
BAY: 0 – Katelyn Rowland; 20 – Alyssa Malonson; 4 – Emily Menges (24 – Maddie Moreau, 105′); 2 – Abby Dahlkemper; 3 – Caprice Dydasco; 23 – Kiki Pickett; 12 – Tess Boade; 19 – Dorian Bailey (10 – Deyna Castellanos, 101′); 9 – Racheal Kundananji; 8 – Asisat Oshoala; 21 – Rachel Hill (55 – Penelope Hocking, 73’)
Unused Substitutes: 32 – Emma Allen; 18 – Joelle Anderson; 5 – Jen Beattie; 6 – Maya Doms; 14 – Jamie Shepherd; 29 – Jordan Silkowitz
Stats Summary: WAS / BAY
Shots: 21 / 13
Shots On Goal: 6 / 2
Saves: 1 / 5
Fouls: 8/17
Offsides: 2 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
WAS – Hal Hershfelt – 46’ – Yellow Card
BAY – Asisat Oshoala – 52’ – Yellow Card
BAY- Alyssa Malonson – 59’ – Yellow Card
BAY – Kiki Pickett – 99’ – Yellow Card
