WASHINGTON — A first career NWSL goal from defender Lucia Di Guglielmo gave the Washington Spirit a 1-0 win over Gotham FC at Audi Field on Saturday and sent the club to the postseason for a third year in a row.
The goal came in the 70th minute. Mélissa Bethi, who entered at halftime in place of Leicy Santos, lofted a ball into the box, and Di Guglielmo gathered it and steered it past Gotham keeper Ann-Katrin Berger. Bethi nearly doubled the lead two minutes later when her shot clanged off the crossbar.
Washington controlled long stretches of the first half. Trinity Rodman forced a diving save from Berger just before the break with a header toward the back post, and Clara Luvanga barely missed wide in the third minute. Santos, back from an injury, was making her first start since early August.
At the other end, goalkeeper Sandy MacIver needed only two saves to post her 10th shutout of the season, and the back line held through a late Gotham free kick and corner in stoppage time.
The result meant plenty for the visitors too. Gotham, at 16-5-7, could have wrapped up the NWSL Shield for the league’s best regular-season record with a win, and instead saw a four-match unbeaten run end. It was Washington’s first victory over Gotham since June 2024.
The Spirit, now 16-8-4, moved into second place in the table for now and could secure a home quarterfinal depending on other results. Washington closes its road schedule at the Kansas City Current at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25.
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