After six weeks since their last goal at Audi Field and two years since a win against Gotham FC, Washington Spirit ended their drought with a 1-0 victory on Saturday afternoon. The win, on a second half goal by Lucia Di Guglielmo, clinched a playoff spot for the home team and keeps them in the running for the NWSL Shield.

The Spirit looked the best they have in weeks, creating several dangerous attacks and taking 13 shots while keeping the league-leading Gotham to just five. In the first half, they were particularly dominant, though the specter of finishing problems still hung over their attack.

One of their strongest sequences of that half came around the 22nd minute, when Trinity Rodman found herself open with the ball in the box. She popped it up into the air for Di Guglielmo, whose header went off frame. Two minutes later, Leicy Santos passed a long ball forward to Rodman, who again crossed it. Sofia Cantore dummied to allow the ball to fall to Clara Luvanga, but the first-time starter’s shot went high above the goal.

As the half came to a close, Rodman had a final chance when Cantore made a long cross to her in the box. Rodman’s header was on target, but Berger pushed it over the bar for Washington’s sixth corner of the day. The NJ/NY goalkeeper was able to collect the cross on that corner easily, keeping the match tied at halftime.

On a minutes restriction, Santos was subbed off at halftime, which diminished some of the Spirit’s effectiveness in midfield. Gotham was able to play much more in Washington’s half as a result, though the defense kept them largely out of the box and held them to one shot in that half. The substitute, Mélissa Bethi, would prove to be a difference maker after settling into the game.

In the 70th minute, Bethi won the ball just outside Gotham’s box off of a soft clearance. She chipped a pass into the box, with Lucia Di Guglielmo running in to receive it. The fullback settled the ball with her chest and tapped it diagonally into the goal to score the only goal of the match.

Di Guglielmo had been making that central run into the box through out the match and said it’s a space she likes to play in and where she thinks she has good timing. Di Guglielmo said her teammates had impressed upon her the importance of the rivalry against Gotham and that getting her first NWSL goal to boost her team to a win against them made it even more special.

“It’s kind of a dream; everything is perfect” she said. “But I also think when you work on consistency throughout the season, things like that happen.”

Minutes later, Bethi would knock a shot off the crossbar, and in the 84th minute, her shot off of a Rodman cutback would be blocked out for a corner, in two of Washington’s best chances of the half.

“These players come in today, showing the performance they have from the beginning to the end, sends a message,” both to the world and the players themselves, Adrián González said. “We’re going to fight until the end for everything.”

Up next: Next weekend, the Spirit travel to Kansas City, where the Current haven’t lost a match all season.

Three takeaways 

• Race for the Shield. While Gotham are still in first place in the Shield race, with 55 points, this match brought the Spirit to 52 with two games to go. SD Wave have a chance to overtake Washington this evening, and the Spirit don’t have an easy path to the top, with the match against KC Current next week, but the race is very close and could easily come down to the final matchday.
• Defensive strength. Di Guglielmo will rightfully get the glory, but all of Washington’s back line put on a command performance in this game. Her fellow fullback, Gabby Carle, was dominant on her wing, making nine defensive contributions and winning seven duels to keep pressure off the Spirit’s goal. Esme Morgan continued her role as the team’s set piece kicker, while also making some key blocks in the area. And Iron Woman Tara Rudd effectively neutralized Sam Kerr, using her smart positioning and strength to keep Gotham’s all-time leading scorer from taking a single shot.
• Luvanga shows promise. In her first start with Washington, Clara Luvanga was clearly disappointed not to score her second goal for the team. Of her three shots, two went off target, and a heavy touch kept her from at least one other opportunity. But the pieces of a very promising game are there. Her positioning was strong, and she had Gotham center back Jess Carter looking exhausted before the end of the first half, unable to keep Luvanga off of the ball. With improved familiarity with the league and her teammates, Luvanga is going to be something really special.

Box Score

NWSL Regular Season –  Game 28

Washington Spirit 1 (Di Guglielmo 70′)

Gotham FC 0

Lineups

Washington Spirit (4231): Sandy MacIver; Tara Rudd, Lucia DiGuglielmo, Gabby Carle, Esme Morgan; Leicy Santos (Mélissa Bethi 46′), Andi Sullivan (C), Hal Hershfelt; Trinity Rodman, Clara Luvanga (Ashley Hatch 79′), Sofia Cantore (Rose Kouassi 78′)

Gotham FC (4231): Ann-Katrin Berger; Mandy Freeman (Olivia Wingate 59′), Jess Carter, Tierna Davidson, Leila Ouahabi (Taryn Torres 59′); Jaelin Howell (Savannah Mccaskill 90′), Denise O’Sullivan, Rose Lavelle (Andrea Kitahata 90′); Midge Purce, Sam Kerr, Guro Reiten (Talia Sommer 76′)

Misconduct Summary

Washington Spirit:  none
Gotham FC:  Howell 61′, Torres 90+4′

Lead image by Jason Taylor