Spirit forward Francisca Ordega honored as NWSL Player of the Week

Washington Spirit  |   May 9, 2017
Spirit forward Francisca Ordega honored as NWSL Player of the Week Featured Image

Boyds, MD – Saturday May 6, 2017: Francisca Ordega during a regular season National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) match between the Washington Spirit and Sky Blue FC at Maureen Hendricks Field, Maryland SoccerPlex.

BOYDS, MD (May 9, 2017) – Washington Spirit forward Francisca Ordega was voted the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Player of the Week by the NWSL Media Association for Week 4 of the 2017 NWSL season.

Ordega, 23, had two goals and an assist to spark the Spirit to a 4-3 home victory over Sky Blue FC. The Spirit also equaled the club’s single-game scoring record and produced their highest scoring performance in the last 84 games.

The Gboko, Nigeria native got her team on the scoreboard first in the 6th minute as she was played in on goal by midfielder Line Sigvardsen Jensen before sliding a left-footed shot along the ground and inside the far post. Ordega then turned provider in the 34th minute, when she opened up the Sky Blue defense with a perfectly-weighted through ball duly dispatched into the back of the net by fellow forward Havana Solaun to give the Spirit a 3-1 lead. (Watch Highlights)

The Nigeria international tallied the eventual game-winning goal in the 56th minute when her pressure paid off as she closed down Kailen Sheridan and blocked the Sky Blue goalkeeper’s clearance before racing to collect the ball and turn it in from a sharp angle.

Ordega was involved in all four goals on the night for Washington as she was the player to put the shot toward goal that forced Sky Blue defender Erin Simon to put the ball into her own net in the 25th minute.

She is the first Spirit player to have two goals and an assist in a match since U.S. international Crystal Dunn accomplished the feat Aug. 30 during the 2015 season. Her goal in the 6th minute Saturday against the New Jersey side was the earliest Washington have scored in a match since Canada international Diana Matheson found the back of the net in the 4th minute on April 29 of the 2016 season.

It is the first time Ordega has been honored as the NWSL Player of the Week and the 10th time a Spirit player has won the award. She is the first African-born player to earn the accolade.

The Washington Spirit will return to action Saturday, May 13 at 4 p.m. ET against the Seattle Reign at Memorial Stadium in Seattle.

The NWSL Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by the NWSL Media Association, a collection of writers that cover the league on a consistent basis. For more information on the NWSL Media Association, follow them on Twitter.

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