Kingsbury comes up huge in penalty kick shootout, as the Spirit advance to the NWSL semifinal over Louisville

In a nerve-racking 120 minutes where the Washington Spirit looked to have won the game in regulation, but a last-minute goal from Racing Louisville set up an extra layer of drama in their first-ever playoff game in franchise history. They set up an additional 30 minutes of overtime to decide who would move on to the NWSL semifinals. 

After an extra 30 minutes of soccer, where neither team could break the deadlock, it was all decided in penalty kicks. 

Aubrey Kingsbury is mobbed by her teammates at the end of the penalty kick shootout, which helped the Washington Spirit advance to the NWSL semifinals. Photo Credit: NWSL

In the penalty kick shootout, there was one player who stepped up and helped catapult her team to victory: Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury. The netminder for the Spirit made two stops in the shootout as Washington defeated Louisville 3-1 in penalties, after the game ended 1-1 in regulation, in front of a boisterous 19,215 fans that packed Audi Field in Washington, DC, Saturday afternoon. 

“Spirit loved to keep things interesting, especially in the playoffs,” said Kingsbury. “I guess always entertaining for the fans. My heart rate would love for it to be done, wrapped up in a bow, in 90 minutes. But again, I think it's a credit to my teammates, this organization, the staff, everyone. We were very resilient. We can dig down deep and know that we have whatever it takes to get the job done. Confidence going into the semi next week, which hopefully we won't need to go to penalties.”

Shootout magic from Kingsbury 

Last year, Kingsbury came up big in the penalty kick shoot against Gotham FC, stopping all three penalty kicks that catapulted Washington to the NWSL final in Kansas City. Saturday afternoon, Kingsbury was called upon once again to step in at a crucial moment when her team needed her the most, and she once again delivered in a high-pressure moment. 

“Every time we go into a PK shootout, I’m like she has two or three saves in her, we are going to be fine,” said Hal Hershfelt about Kingsbury. "I feel so good knowing that in those high-stakes moments that we have someone like that {Kingsbury} in our net, it's the best confidence, even as a PK kicker, I can make this Aubrey {Kingsbury} has my back, it’s fine.” 

Meanwhile, Spirit head coach Adrián González sang his goalkeepers' praises when asked about Kingsbury, responding with a smirk on his face, “What do you think?” González continued by saying, “There's a lot of uncertainty for sure, but you can prepare for that, and you can have different strategies. And we've been doing a great job on that. And also she's really good at that, especially here playing at home. The connection that she has with our fans is amazing. So obviously there is an. Emotional and psychological approach.”

Louisville started off the shootout strong as Bethany Balcer converted her spot kick, giving them a slight lead; however, defender Elle Jean would sky her kick, as the ball hit the crossbar and went over to the delight of the fans who were behind the goal. Kingsbury would round out the victory for the Spirit, getting back-to-back saves on Marrisa DiGrande and Ary Borges as the crowd erupted as Kingsbury got the save on the final kick of the shootout against Borges. 

“Just yeah, focusing on my preparation and watching their run up, making sure I time my dive right,” said Kingsbury on what goes on mentally for her during a penalty kick shootout. “Just focusing on one kick at a time, not really looking at. The score or what's going on for us but just making sure that I do my part to help us win.” 

While González said this about Kingsbury’s performance and her calmness during a penalty kick shootout: 

“It's amazing the confidence that she has. Also, what she brings, you know, to the team, to the fans, the connection. She gave us a lot last season, and we believe a lot. It's on her potential. It's not just about the ability to save. It's again, the ability to analyze, to, you know, memorize, learn every single opponent,” González said, “that's so difficult. And there's a lot of work behind a lot of responsibility, also for her. So, the credit is on her because. I cannot imagine, you know, the pressure that you need to feel when you are there as a keeper. You know, you need to be able to manage that situation, and she shows that she's one of the best goalkeepers in this league and in this country, and when moments like that appear. She handles the pressure like that, so it's amazing having her as a goalkeeper.”

Meanwhile, Washington was perfect from the penalty spot as Rebeca Bernal, Esme Morgan, and Hershfelt all converted their penalties, ending Louisville’s season.

“At some point, we’d like to win a playoff game in 90 minutes and do it the easy way,” Morgan said. “But it’s also more exciting this way.”

The Game

The big question mark coming into this game was whether or not the Spirit’s star player, Trinity Rodman, would be available to play, as she was listed as questionable coming into the match. 

Rodman was recovering from a sprained MCL, an injury she suffered during Washington’s final Concacaf W Championship against Monterrey in mid-October. 

Rodman was dressed up for the game and was on the bench, but never warmed up during the match, saving her for the semifinals. 

“As a leader, it was so important for her and for the team, for the fans, to see her there,” González said. “She can help the team in different ways.”

Washington thought they had taken the lead in the 17th minute after a short corner kick from Leicy Santos, who laid the ball off to Rose Kouassi, who sent a back heel pass to the Colombian international, sending a cross into the box that was cleared, but the ball would fall back to Kouassi. The Ivorian international sent what looked like a cross, but the ball would creep into the right-hand side of the net defended by Jordyn Bloomer, and after a VAR check, the referee Nabil Bensalah determined that there was an offside and disallowed the goal. When the pool reporter asked about the decision, Bensalah responded:

“The goal was disallowed for offside.  Washington player #10 Santos was in an offside position receiving the pass from Washington player #19 Kouassi in the build-up to the goal.” 

Louisville created a goalscoring opportunity of their own as Borges sent a cross towards the back post to Ella House, who headed the ball back towards the middle of the box in the direction of Katie O’Kane, catching Kingsbury off her line, but O’Kane’s shot was denied by Bernal off the line, and the ball was cleared from the box. 

Gift Monday points to the Washington Spirit crest after scoring her 1st NWSL playoff goal against Racing Louisville Saturday afternoon. Photo Credit: Washington Spirit

The Spirit opened up the scoring in the 73rd minute as Kouassi sent a cross into the box, finding Gift Monday, who elevated herself over Elle Jean and headed the ball low and going past a diving Bloomer and into the back of the net, scoring her first NWSL playoff goal and bringing the near sell-out crowd at Audi Field to their feet.  

“When I got a contact with the ball, I was so sure it was going in,” said Monday. “I was so sure that the ball was going directly into the post, but I was already waiting for the rebound in case the crossbar decided to play a quick one on me. But I'm so grateful that it went in.”

This goal had a bigger significance for Monday, not just for what it meant to the team, but what it meant for her. The Nigerian international had a difficult couple of weeks, as her father had passed away, and when asked how she prepared for the game during this difficult moment, she responded: 

“Football is a source of joy for me, and irrespective of what I’m going through, I know even my challenges would not stop me from achieving happiness,” an emotional Monday said. “I just have to keep going. We have to keep living.”

When talking about what this goal meant to her, and talked about how she dedicated the goal to the fans and her father. 

“That goal I dedicated to all of the Spirit fans and also to my dad because. He is my first coach. He made me who I am today.” Monday said, “He trained me on how to keep believing and keep moving on. And if I didn't come back and this girl didn't happen, I might never forgive myself because I might feel like I'm still grieving. But with this, my dad is with me. He's given me the strength to keep going, and this goal was proof.” 

Louisville almost tied the game just five minutes later when a long ball from Taylor Flint found its way to Lauren Milliet inside the box, as the defender chipped Kingsbury, but her shot went over the bar, foreshadowing what was to come late in the game.

Kayla Fischer celebrating with her teammates after scoring a late goal to send the game to overtime Saturday afternoon. Photo Credit: NWSL

In the first minute of an eight-minute stoppage time, Courtney Petersen lobbed the ball deep into the Spirit’s area, finding Kayla Fischer inside the box. Fischer poked the ball past Kingsbury, who came charging off her line to deny Fischer, but the ball crossed the line, tying the game late, to the disbelief of the Spirit faithful.

“Oh, gosh,” Hershfelt said. “I wish we could make it easy for ourselves.”

At the start of extra time, DiGrande sent a short cross to Emma Sears, who got a foot to the ball, but her attempt hit the side netting. 

The Spirit would be dealt a major injury blow in the first period of extra time. After lunging into a tackle, star center back Tara McKeown came off, grabbing her ankle in pain, and ended up being checked on by medical staff. After a few minutes, it was determined that McKeown could not continue and was subbed off for Kysha Sylla. Another major piece of the Spirit’s defense, Gabby Carle, was subbed off earlier in the match due to a hamstring injury.

Despite some goalscoring opportunities being created, neither team could break the deadlock, sending the game to penalties. 

“Let’s see if we can have one day a normal game,” González said. “I don’t want to die there on the bench.”

The Spirit will move on to the semifinals, where they will face the winners of the 2022 NWSL Championship, the Portland Thorns, who defeated San Diego Wave Sunday afternoon at Providence Park in Portland, while the other semifinal match-up will be between the last two winners of the NWSL Championship when current champions Orlando Pride, who defeated Seattle Reign FC Friday night host 2023 Champions Gotham FC, who stunned everybody by defeating the #1 seed the Kansas City Current on the road Sunday afternoon. 

The match between Washington and Portland will take place Saturday afternoon at Audi Field in Washington, DC, with kickoff scheduled for noon.