RICHMOND — Sarah Griffith cut right and took a hard touch, building up momentum as she closed on the ball from just outside the penalty arc. The Chicago Red Stars forward then rocketed a shot that cleared Washington Spirit goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and splashed into the top left corner of the net.
Washington, D.C
Spirit exits NWSL Summer Cup after 3-2 loss to Chicago
The 89th-minute strike was the decisive blow in Washington’s 3-2 loss Wednesday night at City Stadium. The defeat ends the Spirit’s run in the NWSL Summer Cup; it needed a win to advance out of the group stage. After going 1-2-0 in the midseason tournament, the Spirit will turn its focus to the restart of its season after the Olympic break.
“I want … to be more consistent in the performance,” Coach Jonatan Giráldez said. “… Time to rest and time to analyze what we did good and what we did bad.”
The Spirit was depleted throughout the event’s three games. Six of its players left to compete in Paris, including U.S. midfielder Croix Bethune and forward Trinity Rodman. The duo rank first and second on the Spirit in assists, with Bethune’s nine leading the NWSL.
Earlier Wednesday, the 23-year-old Bethune made her Olympic debut in a 2-1 win over Australia. Rodman, 22, opened the scoring with her second goal of the Games.
Spirit midfielders Hal Hershfelt and Leicy Santos and defenders Casey Krueger and Gabrielle Carle are also unavailable because of Olympic duty. Also absent for the Spirit was goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury (rest).
Chicago struck first during stoppage time in the first half. Forward Jameese Joseph squeezed between a pair of Spirit players and landed a shot on net that Barnhart deflected with her right shin.
But forward Jenna Bike beat Spirit defender Jenna Butler — one of the three players Washington signed because of the Olympic departures — to the rebound and knocked home the game’s first goal.
Washington responded early in the second half. Leading scorer Ouleymata Sarr won a penalty after being knocked to the turf in the penalty area. Midfielder Andi Sullivan, a former star at South County High, converted from the spot, sending a low shot past Chicago goalkeeper Mackenzie Wood to knot things at 1.
“This whole experience has been fun because obviously I grew up just up [Interstate] 95 and frequented this area a lot,” said Sullivan, who was wearing the captain’s armband, of coming to Richmond.
The deadlock wouldn’t last five minutes: Joseph sneaked a shot home in the 60th minute.
Washington forward Lena Silano responded in the 83rd minute, but Griffith had the final say.
Washington’s next game is a friendly at Audi Field against Arsenal on Aug. 18. Its NWSL slate resumes Aug. 25 at home against Kansas City.