It’s semifinals time! Today, the third-seed Washington Spirit (17-4-9) take on the #7 Utah Royals (14-5-11), both teams are hungry for a place in the championship next weekend and have the wind at their back: it’s a clash of two teams peaking at the same moment.

Utah is coming off of a miraculous victory against the San Diego Wave in the quarterfinals. While the Royals have had moments of brilliance this season mixed in with some less-than-stellar performances (sound familiar?), almost everyone was surprised to see them knock the Wave out of the tournament last week. Spirit fans and players alike are probably relieved to not have to face San Diego this week, but a head-to-head against David when he has just defeated Goliath isn’t necessarily an easier matchup. Hopefully, David is tired.

After a loud, decisive, walloping, [insert-fun-adjective-here] 4-1 victory against the Portland Thorns at home last week, the Spirit are also charging full speed ahead toward the championship. For Spirit fans, last week’s performance looked a lot more like what we expect from a top-of-the-table team, but haven’t seen very often this season. Have the Spirit finally found their rhythm and momentum at the perfect moment?

Previously

The Spirit previously faced the Royals on July 29th and won by a narrow 1-0 margin thanks to a goal from Trinity Rodman in the 28th minute. While the Spirit were able to walk away with a shutout, the Royals had most of the game’s momentum on their side. Utah had 33 touches in the opposition’s box compared to Washington’s nine, 20 shots compared to six from the Spirit, and 1.79 Expected Goals (xG) versus .98xG. Basically, the Spirit got lucky and the Royals left feeling frustrated.

It’s worth noting that in their previous head-to-head, the Spirit were missing five players due to the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON): Deb Abiodun, Mélissa Bethi, Rose Kouassi, Gift Monday, and Monique Ngock. However, when the Spirit and the Royals competed in March of this year, the game was once again a 50-50 possession split that resulted in a 1-1 tie. During that matchup, Utah had a remarkable 3.18xG to the Spirit’s 1.73xG.

Key Difference Makers

Since last week’s assist and two goals, everyone is talking about Trinity Rodman‘s postseason form. While it’s true that the winger seemed to unlock a fifth gear that few defenders could do anything to stop, part of her success is the lethal combination of attacking talent that the Spirit now have with Clara Luvanga in the striker position. Teams can no longer manage the Spirit’s attack by double-teaming Rodman, because it will leave space that Luvanga, Sofia Cantore, Mélissa Bethi, and Leicy Santos will quickly take advantage of.

The Royals are quick in transition and will demand more from Rodman and the Spirit’s wingers defensively through their high press. With eight goals and 11 assists this season, Cloé Lacasse has been a key creator for Utah and her runs up the left wing will need to be closely managed by the Spirit. Utah is especially good at finding bodies in the box, Cece Delzer, new addition Jameese Joseph, and Paige Cronin are all threats that are quick to find open spaces and opportunities in the box. If playmaker and team-leading scorer Mina Tanaka is healthy and available, the Spirit’s defense will need to put together a strong performance to prevent Utah from finding the back of the net.

What to Expect

Expect heartburn. Best case scenario, the Spirit are able to put goals away early and set the pace of the game like they did last week. However, Utah’s high press and the danger that they can create on set pieces will likely make this game a nail-biter until the end. Washington needs to put the ball in the back of the net and be compact and organized defensively. As a team that often allows goals in the last quarter of the game, the Spirit need to stay tight until the final whistle, especially because the Royals have a never-say-die attitude and are always capable of a comeback.

The stage is set, the narratives are narrative-ing. Both teams have a lot of heart, a lot of talent, and the championship match in sight. Grab your snacks, wear your lucky socks, designate a friend to do a wellness check at 4PM. If you’re planning to be at Audi, please get so rowdy that the FAA has to ground the planes “due to extraordinary circumstances.”

Availability Reports

Washington Spirit:

OUT: Deborah Abiodun (Hip – SEI), Hal Hershfelt (Knee – SEI), Aubrey Kingsbury (Maternity Leave), Kate Wiesner (SEI – Ankle)

Utah Royals:

Location: Audi Field, Washington D.C.
Kickoff time: 12:00 PM ET
Available TV: CBS