An early flourish from NJ/NY Gotham FC gave them a goal to cling onto as they defeat the Washington Spirit 1-0. Gotham, the much fresher team, used that to their advantage as they pressed the Spirit early and often to pin them back and prevent buildup play. Adjustments at halftime turned the match in the Spirit’s favor, but without Andi Sullivan and Ashley Sanchez, both withdrawn at halftime after absorbing rough challenges, the equalizer never came.
Despite the persistent pressure in the opening ten minutes, goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury got some important touches to keep the score level.