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Five Spirit players earn starts, four play full-90s in second group stage contests
Washington, D.C. (08/03/2026) – Five Washington Spirit players were again in action during the second matchday of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations this week with three helping their teams win and inch closer to the knockout stage.
Midfielder Deborah Abiodun earned the start for Nigeria on Saturday, playing 68 minutes and helping the Super Falcons to a 1-0 win over Zambia. Nigeria currently sits in second place in Group C and can advance to the quarterfinal round with a win over Egypt on Wednesday. Forward Rosemonde Kouassi played a full 90 minutes for Ivory Coast on Friday as the side drew South Africa. Kouassi and Ivory Coast sit atop Group B with its last group stage match against Tanzania coming up on Tuesday.
The Spirit’s three summer transfer signings all played a full 90 minutes for their respective nations on matchday two as well. Midfielder Monique Ngock helped Cameroon to a 1-0 win over Ghana, clinching a spot in the knockout stage in the process. Midfielder Mélissa Bethi and Algeria lost a hard-fought match to Morocco but the side still sits in favorable position to advance out of Group A with a win on Monday. Defender Alimata Bélem, who will join the Spirit in January 2027, pushed Burkina Faso to a 2-1 win over Tanzania as the team also sits above the cutoff line in Group B.
The Spirit’s six players at this summer’s WAFCON will be back in action for their final group stage matches over the next four days as their nations look to lock up a spot in the quarterfinal round. The Spirit will take the pitch at Audi Field again this weekend when it takes on the North Carolina Courage. Kicking off at 6:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, August 8, the match’s theme will be Spirit Worldwide: Culture Night. Tickets are available at WashingtonSpirit.com/tickets.
About the Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for bot club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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