Photo Credit: Robyn McNeil/ISI Photos
Good teams hold on to wins late. If this is the case then it appears that the Washington Spirit are on their way to something big in this 2016 NWSL season. After taking the lead early on Sunday against Sky Blue FC the Spirit were able to hold on late earning a 2-1 victory at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, New Jersey.
The Spirit nearly had their first goal of the match early when defender Megan Kleiner lifted a cross into the box for forward Crystal Dunn. Dunn, the reigning NWSL MVP, got a decent first touch but was unable to frame her shot on target.
Kleiner, who made her first start of the season for the Spirit, started in place of Caprice Dydasco. The simple substitution gave the Spirit an additional weapon on the attack especially down the left flank. She was also highly effective in limiting Sky Blue FC’s options on the attack.
In general the Spirit defense held strong for the first forty-five minutes holding Sky Blue to minimal opportunities in their attack half. Led by center-back Shelina Zadorsky, the Spirit operated with a sense of calm with their ball possession making few errors and holding Sky Blue at bay. Their lone goal-scoring opportunity in the first-half came in the 23rd minute when midfielder Kelley O’Hara hit a promising cross into the Spirit box. Before Sky Blue could capitalize Zadorsky cleared away the opportunity.
The Spirit would eventually break down the Sky Blue defense late in the first half. In the 40th minute midfielder Ali Krieger would lift her shot over goalkeeper Caroline Casey to give the Spirit the 1-0 advantage.
Krieger and the Spirit attack had largely been limited to opportunities from the left and right flank with minimal chances at the center of the Sky Blue defense. Although that limited Dunn’s chances early on it would give Krieger ample acreage of space to operate. Her goal was her first of the 2016 campaign.
Photo Credit: Robyn McNeil/ISI Photos
The Spirit would continue to hit at the Sky Blue defense in the second half, buoyed by their last minute heroics in the first. Forward Diana Matheson would hit a superb diagonal pass into Kasey Stengel in the 46th that appeared to be a goal-scoring opportunity. Her path was only deterred by a surging Christine Rampone who made the last-minute tackle to end the opportunity.
Matheson herself though would find the back of the net just ten minutes later. A beneficiary of a Dunn diagonal cross into space, Matheson would find time to control her pass and hit a low shot past Casey. The goal was Matheson’s first of her 2016 campaign.
Sky Blue would show life late thanks to the play of midfielder Raquel Rodriguez. The Costa Rican international found space in the Spirit defensive third and exploited that gap by making several precise passes into the Spirit box.
In the 65th minute Rodriguez hit a timely ball into midfielder Taylor Lytle. Lytle then found a surging Maya Hayes in the Spirit penalty box who hit her shot beyond the reach of Spirit goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe to cut the lead to 2-1. The goal was Hayes’ first of the 2016 season.
Rodriguez nearly had a goal herself late to tie up the game when her low curving shot from beyond the eighteen yard box was on target. However, Labbe was up to the task and made the decisive save. Despite facing considerable pressure late the Canadian international made several strong saves to preserve the lead and ultimately give the Spirit three points.
The Spirit will be in action again on Friday night when they travel to Sahlen Stadium to take on the Western New York Flash (7pm). Sky Blue FC will also hit the road on Friday when they travel to BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston Texas to take on the Dash (8:30pm EST). Both matches can be found on the NWSL YouTube Channel.
MATCH SUMMARY
Washington Spirit: Stephanie Labbe, Alyssa Kleiner, Shelina Zadorsky, Megan Oyster, Ali Krieger, Christine Nairn, Tori Huster, Joanna Lohman, Diana Matheson (Cali Farquharson 85′), Katie Stengel (Cheyna Williams 67′), and Crystal Dunn.
Goals-Krieger (40′) and Matheson (56′)
Yellow Card- Zadorsky 46′
Sky Blue FC- Caroline Casey, Kelley O’Hara, Erica Skroski, Christine Rampone, Erin Simon, Shawna Gordon (Ashley Nick 61′), Sarah Killion, Raquel Rodriguez, Taylor Lytle (Danielle Schulmann 78′), Taisha Kai, and Maya Hayes.
Goal-Hayes (67′)
Yellow Card-O’Hara (71′)
Washington Spirit
