Washington Spirit vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Preview, time, and how to watch
After a big, scrappy win in Orlando last weekend, Washington Spirit return home this afternoon to play NJ/NY Gotham FC. The Spirit will be buoyed, as always, by their home crowd but face a Gotham who will surely seeking revenge — both for a bad midweek loss and their most recent loss to Washington via penalty shoot-out.
Washington Spirit (4W-0D-1L) will continue to be impacted by injury for the foreseeable future, but there are two big names not appearing on today’s availability report. The first is Ashley Hatch, who left last weekend’s game with a concussion but has cleared protocol to be able to play today. The second is Croix Bethune, 2024 Rookie and Midfielder of the Year, who could play her first minutes since a knee injury last summer. Bethune’s return as playmaker would be a huge boon for the Spirit, who have struggled to create quality chances. The team has also proven through their first few matches that they have what it takes to “grind out” a win, as defender Esme Morgan put it, even without their first-choice Starting XI.
Reflecting on the win against Orlando, Morgan said, “I feel like those games, although they’re ugly, are some of the most satisfying because you kind of know that the opposition’s been knocking on the door for long periods, and you’ve just been able to frustrate them and hold out as long as possible.
“We were all really excited off the back of it, and it’s obviously given us confidence coming into this week, and knowing that the situation will be quite similar, knowing that we do have the resilience to get through it when needed.”
Though considered one of the “top four” teams that have pulled away from the pack, Gotham FC (2-2-2) have had a turbulent start to the season. Their inconsistent form can be seen in just the last week, in which they beat a then-undefeated Angel City 4-0 last Friday before losing to Portland Thorns on Thursday 4-1. Gotham’s consistent high press continues to serve them well but can leave them vulnerable to the kind of quick counterattack the Spirit specialize in.
“It’s going to be a good test for us because they are one of the best teams pressing high,” Spirit coach Jonatan Giráldez said. “They don’t like to defend mid- or low-block, you know; they are just trying to jump all the time.” He said his team has been studying Gotham and preparing to identify the space they leave and “they way we want to attack it.”
Player: Rosemunde Kouassi
After making a big impact on the Spirit’s playoff run last year, Rosemunde Kouassi was injured to start this season. She returned to play against Orlando last week and showed much of the speed and skill in possession that allows her to (near-single-handedly) boost Washington’s dynamism on the attack.
Watch Out For: Esther González
When talking about dangerous Gotham players, it’s hard to beat the league’s leading goal-scorer. González has been unstoppable lately, scoring five goals in her last three matches. An expert at headed goals, González also scored the lone goal for Gotham when these teams last met in the NWSL playoff semi-finals.
Morgan called González an “incredibly intelligent player” who uses her positioning both to assist with build-up play and link up with other attackers and to take opposing defenders by surprise.
“In those situations, it’s just about locking on, making physical contact, and making sure you know exactly where she is — having good body shape as the ball comes in and then attacking the ball to make sure that she can’t get clean contact.”
Challenges: Washington’s defense got a workout stopping 20 shots by Orlando last weekend, and they won’t be able to take it easy in the face of Gotham’s press today. The Spirit will need to maintain their high defensive work-rate while also conserving energy to make runs behind the opponents’ back line to score.
Previously: Last season, the Spirit beat Gotham 2-0 in both regular season matches before winning a penalty shoot-out against them to advance in the semifinals.
NJ/NY Gotham FC Availability:
Out: Ryan Campbell (shoulder), Sofia Cook (thigh), Tierna Davidson (SEI – knee), Shelby Hogan (D45 – thumb), Rose Lavelle (ankle), Mandy Freeman (hip)
Questionable: None
Washington Spirit Availability:
Out: Emma Gaines-Ramos (SEI – knee), Hal Hershfelt (ankle), Lyza Jessee (SEI – wrist), Casey Krueger (knee), Paige Metayer (D45 – knee), Brittany Ratcliffe (lower leg), Trinity Rodman (excused absence), Ouleye Sarr (SEI – back), Andi Sullivan (maternity leave), Kate Wiesner (hip)
Questionable: None
Location: Audi Field, Washington, DC
Kickoff time: 1 p.m. ET
Referee: Abdou Ndiaye
Available TV: CBS
Available streaming: Paramount+
Thanks, Annie. It’ll be great to see Croix Bethune back, and I’m relieved that Ashley Hatch has cleared concussion protocol. Both as second half subs? Interestingly, Argentina’s one of the few places in the world where I can watch this match on NWSL+.
I hope I can watch on Paramount+. Was hugely impressed by the Pride victory, let’s keep grinding while people come back!
I also am looking forward to seeing more of Croix
Welp, rough first half.
Don’t know if you want to bring Hatch or Croix into such a rough game when the result seems pretty clear, but Giraldez is a heavy competitor. Will be interesting
About ten minutes into the second, Hatch is making a big difference in terms of structure
This is a playoff match we simply didn’t have the personnel for. Love the pieces we have, hope it leads to something special soon, gotta get those players back
Croix in.
Knock on wood for everything
Giraldez gets straight red for some kind of dissent
Sometimes it’s someone else’s game. Game state, energy, personnel, all sorta snow balled us. We were also facing a goalie that is a damn high bar, so perhaps unsurprising that we were kept scoreless.
Gotham are a high playoff seed, most likely, just gotta move on.
The Spirit also have massive injury list currently right?
Of course, that’s what I meant by personnel. Any team missing Sarr, Rodman, Hershfelt, Sullivan, even Metayer, this was another survival game. Last week was effectively a heist
The (Uphappy) View from Buenos Aires)
Boy, do we need Hal Hershfelt back. And probably Paige Metayer as well. A backline of Carle, Morgan, McKeown, and Metayer with Bernal and Hershfelt locking up the middle and some combinations of Santos, Bethune, Sarr, Hatch, Kouassi, and Rodman in waves and we would be a handful for anybody. We’re just stretched too thin for great results week after week.
When Morgan didn’t bury that wonderful end line cross from McKeown to make it 1-3 going into the half, it was clearly not going to be the Spirit’s day.