On Friday evening, 19,215 fans packed into a sold-out Audi Field as the Washington Spirit (0-1-0, NWSL) faced off against the Portland Thorns (1-0-0, NWSL) in their season kickoff. Excitement for the Spirit’s home opener radiated from the stands throughout the entire night in the form of cheers, some boos directed at the refs, and, most prominently, chants from the loyal Spirit Squadron fanbase.
All signs pointed to a competitive matchup, as the Spirit and Thorns finished second and third respectively in the 2025 NWSL season — the Spirit winning two of their three encounters. Both sides found themselves stride-for-stride in 50-50 balls at kickoff, but with a pair of sneaky crosses early on, the Spirit built their dominance by maintaining consistent pressure on the Thorns’ defense. The Spirit had various chances in the 18-yard box, trying to create an opportunity through the middle. Washington, however, couldn’t put any finishing touches on the ball.
Such a performance in the opening moments built Washington a foundation for strong possession throughout the half. Conversely, Portland appeared less hungry for offensive plays, often pondering over their passing decisions for a second too long, which cost them offensive momentum on multiple occasions.
Washington’s ability to control the game did not, however, guarantee them easy scoring opportunities. A stretched-out midfield and relentless Portland defense stifled much of their attacking flow as the half progressed. In the 34th minute, Portland showed the first profits of their resilient playing style with an aggressive shot sent too high by defender Reyna Reyes. Washington defenders Gabby Carle and Esme Morgan matched the intensity of the oncoming aggression, locking down subsequent Thorn attempts at net and keeping the game scoreless at the half.
After such a well-fought first 45 minutes, fans were likely expecting to see one team shift their spirits for the remainder of the game to gain the advantage. Both teams, however, came out of the gate on relatively equal footing once more. In the 51st minute it was midfielder Olivia Moultrie who found the back of the net for Portland, breaking the scoring drought. The Spirit responded with motivated attacks but unfortunately continued to come up short in the final third: midfielder Hal Hershfelt and defender Rebeca Bernal both sent shots wide to the left.
A glimmer of hope for the Spirit, Hershfelt electrified the crowd with a rocket to the top-left corner in the 75th minute that banked soundly off the crossbar. Hershfelt acknowledged in the post-game press conference that the defense’s preoccupation with teammates Trinity Rodman, Rosemonde Kouassi, and Gift Monday provided her the time and space to get a shot off. She also stated she hopes to continue to complement the star-studded trinity of forwards ahead of her in this way.
Although the Spirit didn’t walk away with the three points it was hoping to secure, Head Coach Adrián González emphasized in the post-game press conference that Friday’s game was still a valuable experience for both individual players and team as a whole.
He reflected, “Creo que el equipo intentaba ejecutar el plan de partido muy bien … sobre todo … de llegar al último tercio.” (“I think that the team executed the game plan very well … most importantly … by reaching the final third.”)
Defender Lucia Di Gugliemo put on a clinic during her first professional game in the U.S. after completing a transfer from AS Roma this offseason. González touted her as a “warrior” always fighting to the very end, dynamic across the back line, and “disciplined in and out of position.”
Eighteen-year-old phenom Claudia Martínez — who joined the team for the 2026 season from Paraguay — made her Spirit debut in the second half of the game. Gonzáles highlighted the team’s excitement for her contributions to come in the future.
Spirit fans should not be discouraged in the slightest by this result. Surrendering just one goal to a formidable opponent after only three days together as a full squad shows the abilities of these players. Chemistry on the field takes time to build with any new team, and the Spirit’s offseason additions should provide all of the ingredients necessary for another excellent year.
It’s a long season, and as Rodman noted, “I don’t want us to be at our peak right now.” Working the kinks out early on sets them up for future success.
As with the cherry blossom buds outside Audi Field, the Washington Spirit is on the brink of a spectacular bloom this season. They will take on Racing Louisville (0-0-0, NWSL) next at 8 p.m. EST on Friday, March 20, 2026, away at the Lynn Family Stadium in Kentucky.
