Denver Summit officially shattered the NWSL single game attendance record, with an announced 63,004 showing up. However, the crowd didn’t get much of a show. Denver Summit huffed and puffed at times but couldn’t change the number on the scoreboard, while Washington Spirit’s management of a difficult environment and match-filled week kept them off the scoreboard as well.

Despite Adrián González saying the team wasn’t going to change anything, the Spirit lined up in a 442 formation for the first time this season. The move sacrificed Rose Kouassi’s speed and width for broader defensive coverage and the ability to rotate without leaving too many gaps. But before the match even began, intended starter Gabby Carle was a late scratch and was replaced by Kate Wiesner, pushing Lucia Di Guglielmo to right fullback.

The Spirit used the formation—which transformed into a diamond midfield with Leicy at the tip at times—to narrow the spaces and manage the half. They kept the tempo manageable, which didn’t lead to many chances throughout the half. Given the altitude and unexpected high temperature in Denver, the approach made sense.

Things nearly took a turn for the worse when Yazmeen Ryan got behind her marker a couple times. The first resulted in a low shot that Sandy MacIver did well to close the angle of and the Spirit breathed a sigh of relief as it rolled well wide of the far post. The other required a more direct interjection, with MacIver having to bat away a powerful shot headed toward the inside of the near post.

Halftime | 0-0

González subbed in Rose Kouassi for Deb Abiodun to start the second half, changing the Spirit’s shape and approach. The 442 switched to a 4231 as they settled into their more familiar possession game to create space in the channels for Trinity Rodman and Rose Kouassi.

Washington had a lot of possession but often lacked the final action, whether it be a run, pass, or 1v1 moment. Instead of the possession growing the team’s confidence, it appeared to only grow their frustration.

Trinity Rodman had a few moments where she had the ball in space and was annoyed not to see anyone to combine with. A live report during the broadcast noted that she’d been having a conversation with González about the lack of options when the team gets into attacking positions. She had a point.

Without much to worry about in attack, Denver slowly grew into the half and created a handful of additional dangerous chances, though none that truly tested MacIver. The Spirit managed to grow into the game after a handful of late subs, and had their most dangerous spells of possession close to the referee’s final whistle.

Claudia Martínez had a wicked shot blocked in the box, and Tara and Esme Morgan both took turns marauding forward to add a numbers advantage as they looked for a late winner. Just before the match sealing whistle, Hal Hershfelt unloaded a shot from just outside the top of the box that seemed to be headed for the far top corner. Abby Smith was beaten by the pace of the shot, but it flew agonizingly wide. On replay, it really did not miss by much.

Full Time | 0-0

In the end it was a point earned away in a tough environment of over 60,000, at altitude, and in hot conditions. Those things considered, the result is acceptable. However the performance felt familiar, and lacking in final third connectivity and cohesion—an unfortunate theme of the team’s first four games of the new season.

Up next: The Spirit travel to face Bay FC, Sunday, April 5. The match will air on ESPN2.

Three takeaways 

• A Game Well-Managed. The Spirit were at the end of a three-match in the week early in the season, away, at altitude, in heat, and needed to make a pre-kickoff lineup change. From that standpoint, while the match wasn’t exactly a brilliant showcase of the team’s collection of talent, it was a solidly managed game. The early 442 helped the team cover space without exhausting themselves, then the the subs allowed the team to get into more familiar sequences, and made enough subs to keep a clean sheet and push for the win at the very end.
  
  
• Kössler finally doesn’t score. Melissa Kössler has had an explosive start to her NWSL career, having scored in every single game this season. While she got her head to a couple corner kicks first, only one was a truly dangerous moment. She was subbed off in the 89th minute with three shots, one blocked, and none on target.
  
  
• Attacking woes continue. According to FotMob, the Spirit put up ten shots totaling .38 xG, which, in scientific terms, is referred to as stinky. Part of the problem was managing a bonkers early season schedule, but it’s also become painfully clear that the team is missing a progressive passer. There were several moments when the ball would arrive to a player in space in the final third, and within a few seconds the ball would find itself back near the midway line with a center back. González doesn’t want games to get stretched, but without a creator who can consistently pull strings in the final third, it’s really hard to manufacture chances in this league.

Box Score

NWSL Regular Season | Game 4

Denver Summit 0
Washington Spirit 0

Lineups

Denver Summit (4231): Abby Smith; Pickett, Kurtz, Reid, Sonis; Lynch, Sheehan; Yuna (Means, ’75), Flint, Ryan (Brazier, ’84); Kössler (Thomas, ’89)

Washington Spirit (442): Sandy MacIver; Di Guglielmo (Tsé, ’73), Rudd, Morgan, Carle; Santos, Bernal, Hershfelt, Abiodun (Kouassi, ’46); Rodman (Monday, ’82), Cantore (Martínez, ’73)

Misconduct Summary

Denver Summit: Kurtz (’83)
Washington Spirit: Hershfelt (’72)

Lead image courtesy of Washington Spirit.