Washington Spirit showed their finishing problems might just be behind them with a raucous 4-0 win against Kansas City Current in Buzzard Point last night. Two goals from Leicy Santos and one each from Trinity Rodman and Claudia Martínez gave the Spirit their biggest win of the season and bolster hopes of a return to form.

Against a poorly organized Current, the Spirit were able to stick to their plan, especially in the first half when Kansas City played with out a defensive midfielder: maintain possession and don’t get caught in transition. They sought to avoid costly turnovers by progressing and the wings and through long balls overhead, though the Spirit midfielders were plenty involved. Out of possession, Santos and Rebeca Bernal were dominant forces, making interceptions and muscling Current players off the ball.

The first big chance of the match went to new Current player, Croix Bethune. Jumping on an errant pass in the Spirit midfield, Bethune found herself one-on-one with Sandy MacIver. Facing her old teammate, MacIver said her thoughts were, “first and foremost, don’t let Croix score.” Knowing Bethune liked to go around the keeper in these situations, MacIver said she didn’t want to commit herself too early but instead came off her line and got big, practically doing the splits to stop Bethune’s shot.

“A keeper like Sandy, she’s very good at studying players and knowing exactly what they’re going to do, Rodman said.

Kate Wiesner and Rodman traded a series of quick passes to get Rodman behind the Current’s backline. Driving toward the endline, Rodman picked out Santos with a pass just outside the six-yard box. Santos’s touch slipped the ball through Current defenders and past Lorena’s outstretched foot for a goal.

Late in the half, another crack in Kansas City’s armor appeared in the form of keeper error. As stoppage time began, Lorena dove on a ball but failed to secure it, leaving it loose in the goal area. Sofia Cantore recovered it, but her shot went well above the goal.

The Current’s keeper didn’t learn from that mistake, but the Spirit certainly did. Just three minutes later, Lorena jumped off her line to grab a Spirit cross but once again left it bouncing in the box. This time, it fell to Rodman, who reacted quickly to shoot it across the goal line with her right foot. Rodman tallied a goal and an assist for the match, a fitting way to celebrate her 100th cap.

The Current made a halftime substitution for a more defensive midfield, but that barely slowed the Spirit, who scored again ten minutes into the half. From deep in midfield, Hal Hershfelt made a long pass to Cantore in the box. Cantore’s far-post cross was stopped by a defender and popped back to the center of the box, where Santos was waiting to score her second. She settled the ball and shot it centrally, where it bounced off Lorena’s leg and into the goal. A chant of “Brace-y Santos” could be heard shortly afterward.

In the 75th minute, substitute Claudia Martínez added to the tally with her first goal for the Spirit. On a breakaway, Kouassi ran towards Kansas City’s goal, passing to Martínez just outside the box. The 18-year-old’s first shot was blocked, but she recovered the ball and switched it to her left foot before shooting into the right corner of the net.

Martínez continued her attack afterwards, taking two shots on target in the 86th minute that nearly earned her a brace.

The Current had chances throughout the match, including a stoppage time free kick by Ally Sentnor that hit the crossbar and a goal called offside after the Spirit left Michelle Cooper open in the box, but the Spirit defended well throughout, relying on strong rest defense to limit chances by Temwa Chawinga and the Current’s other speedy attackers. A sliding tackle from Tara Rudd in the final minutes of the game saw them safely to their third consecutive clean sheet.

Up next: This match was the start to a three game week. Washington will play at home again on Wednesday, against Racing Louisville FC, before heading to Orlando next weekend.

Three takeaways 

• Santos’s performance. Leicy Santos has had plenty of big moments for the Spirit, but last night was one of her absolute best. Adrián González agreed, saying it was her best performance since he joined the Spirit and that he was especially impressed because of how tired she had been upon returning from playing for Colombia over the break. “Seeing her performance today, I mean, it just says the incredible player that she is and the mindset that she has. Even when she’s tired, she wants to compete. She wants to fight.”
• Keeper confidence. Sandy MacIver’s come a long way from the errors that led to two goals earlier in the season. The keeper made three saves and several recoveries last night, showing a strong control of the goal area and often acting as an additional field player, baiting runs by the Current and connecting long passes. González said after the Bay FC game that MacIver just needed consistent minutes to improve, and her performance in April has confirmed that. She’s been a capable keeper for both club and country, fully validating her elevation to Washington’s starting spot.
• Washington’s good luck charm. While training in San Jose, the Spirit found a plastic coyote guarding the field and fell in love. They’ve now acquired a coyote of their own, named Jose, and see him as a good luck charm. Jose could be seen all over Audi Field before this game and was stationed near the bench during the game. Afterwards, he was carried out by Rebeca Bernal, who’s been designated as his minder. Lucia Di Guglielmo called Jose “our teammate,” and González said he is “part of the family.” Even Rodman has been impressed: “I’ve actually never believed in a superstition more than this, at this moment.”

Box Score

NWSL Regular Season –  Game 6

Washington Spirit 4 (Santos 25′, 56′, Rodman 45+3′, Martínez 75′)

Kansas City Current 0

Lineups

Washington Spirit (433): Sandy MacIver; Kate Wiesner, Tara Rudd (C), Lucia DiGuglielmo (Élisabeth Tsé 78′), Esme Morgan; Rebeca Bernal, Leicy Santos, Hal Hershfelt; Trinity Rodman (Gift Monday 78′), Rose Kouassi (Tamara Bolt 83′), Sofia Cantore (Claudia Martínez 64′)

Kansas City Current (433): Lorena; Ellie Bravo-Young, Izzy Rodriguez, Gabby Robinson, Kayla Sharples; Croix Bethune (Kyra Carusa 75′), Lo LaBonta (C) (Bayley Feist 82′), Debinha (Rocky Rodriguez 46′); Temwa Chawinga (Haley Hopkins 64′), Michelle Cooper (Amelia White 75′), Ally Sentnor

Misconduct Summary

Washington Spirit:  none
Kansas City Current:  Sharples 13′, Cooper 43′

Lead photo by Jason Taylor, https://gallery.inmotionphotoandvideo.com/washingtonspiritversuskansascitycurrent/