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It’s been a rough season for the Washington Spirit. A strong postseason run last year collapsed into a bottom of the table finish and the Spirit had more injuries (particularly ACL tears) than seemed humanly possible. That said, the Spirit have largely avoided blowout losses (save two road games) and have often been close to getting a win, only to lose by a goal. Tonight, the Spirit face Seattle in the season finale for both teams.
Unfortunately for the Spirit, a May road game against the Seattle Reign was one of the blowouts. Washington trailed by a single goal at the hour mark then conceded three goals in ten minutes and the game finished 6-2. As far as tonight’s game goes, such a blowout is unlikely. May’s game was one of the Reign’s best performances this season and that ten minute span was a low point for the Spirit. Reign attacker Megan Rapinoe will miss this game due to yellow card accumulation.
Washington will finish in last place unless the Spirit pick up more points tonight than the Breakers do against Sky Blue. Seattle is in fifth place and locked out of the playoff race.
Location: Maryland SoccerPlex (Boyds, MD)
Kickoff time: 7pm Eastern
Projected Washington Spirit starting 11: (4-3-3) - DiDi Haracic; Caprice Dydasco, Whitney Church, Shelina Zadorsky, Kassey Kallman; Tori Huster, Morgan Proffitt, Meggie Dougherty Howard; Havana Solaun, Cali Farquharson, Mallory Pugh
Bench: Kelsey Wys, Lindsay Agnew, Estefania Banini, Cheyna Williams
Alyssa Kleiner will miss tonight’s game due to her sister’s wedding and the Spirit’s injury report actually looks a bit better this week. Whitney Church is off the injury report and Estefania Banini has improved to a doubtful status while Cheyna Williams is now probable for tonight’s game. Still, the Spirit have 10 players listed on the injury report and the team probably won’t use all three subs.
Projected Seattle Reign starting 11: (4-3-3) - Lydia Williams; Rebekah Stott, Kristen McNabb, Rachel Corsie, Carson Pickett; Jess Fishlock, Rumi Utsugi, Christine Nairn; Nahomi Kawasumi, Meritt Mathias, Beverly Yanez
Referee: Danielle Chesky
Available TV: None
Available streaming: Go90.com and the Go90 app
What are you drinking?: I’ll be in the press box so water!
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