The Washington Spirit will play in the NWSL Championship for a third straight season next week -- this time on home soil -- and star forward Trinity Rodman said that the team is better prepared after losing in the past two finals.
"When you get to these games, sometimes you can't always apply the tactical things you want to, because the game throws things at you that you can't expect," Rodman said on Saturday after the Spirit's 2-1 semifinal win over the Utah Royals.
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"So, I wouldn't say it's any different. I definitely think we have more fight and more bite and more passion than we did last year going into the final."
Rodman provided the game-tying assist on Saturday at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., where the Spirit will play against Gotham FC or the Kansas City Current in the final on Nov. 21.
Rodman said she is personally happier and healthier than the past two seasons, when she battled persistent back and knee injuries and was not 100% for the playoffs.
"I would say I'm definitely happier," Rodman said. "I'm just really grateful that I've been able to, like I've reiterated a thousand times, just being able to play these high minutes has been amazing."
The Spirit will be playing in their fifth NWSL Championship match, tying the record for most appearances by a franchise (Western New York Flash/North Carolina Courage). Washington won the 2021 NWSL Championship in Rodman's rookie year.
Spirit coach Adrián González said that each season is different, but the experiences that the team went through in losing back-to-back finals will be an advantage. He agreed that the team is also healthier this year despite a recent season-ending injury to midfielder Hal Hershfelt.
"And I think that can give you a little bit of [an] advantage in terms of, you are going to face something that is not new," González said. "We've learned from the past and I think we are more prepared the way that we want to approach a final."
On Saturday, the Spirit conceded the fastest goal in NWSL playoff history when Utah's Cloé Lacasse scored an Olimpico less than two minutes into the match.
Washington equalized six minutes later when Rodman, an MVP finalist after 20 goal contributions in the regular season, crossed the ball to forward Sofia Cantore for a backheel finish.
Spirit forward Clara Luvanga scored the game-winning goal for the second straight match 11 minutes after halftime when she jumped in front of an errant backpass from Royals defender Nuria Rábano. Luvanga's first-time finish went over Utah goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn and into the net.
"I'm so frustrated," Utah defender and captain Kate Del Fava said. "I just feel like we gave them the win. Obviously, we all pulled Nuria in and that moment is not on her; we would never blame her for that moment. It just feels like they didn't really earn that win from us. Obviously, great team, they played well, but I feel like we did, too. So, definitely disappointing."
González said that his players "deserved to play another final. We've been here not because of coincidence."
Luvanga became the third player in NWSL history to score the game-winning goal in her first two playoff games. The Tanzanian striker arrived in Washington in September after leading Saudi Arabia's top flight in goals.
Saturday's semifinal at Audi Field was played with yellow soccer lines laid over white football lines because of a scheduling conflict with an NCAA Division III football game.
The football game was due to begin approximately two hours after the NWSL semifinal ended. Organizers began breaking down soccer goals, putting up football goal posts, and painting more football markings immediately after the NWSL match ended.
"Honestly, it's just insane that in a semifinal game we're having football lines," Utah captain Paige Cronin said. "The growth of women's sports, it's a sold-out arena. It's really annoying. But at the same time, we control what we can and obviously we showed what we did today, but it's just very disappointing that this is where we're at in this moment.
"But I know Spirit, NWSL -- I know people were doing everything they can to fix the situation, do the best thing that they could, but at the end of the day, next year I expect more."
The NWSL's other semifinal, between Gotham FC and the Kansas City Current, will be played at a 5,000-seat stadium due to poor pitch quality at Gotham FC's usual home, Sports Illustrated Stadium.
Players from multiple teams called the leaguewide venue issues "disappointing" and "frustrating."
Washington players will now await their opponent knowing that they can stay at home all week. Rodman said there is less pressure at home since players can maintain their normal routines.
The NWSL preselects its championship venue months in advance. Audi Field was announced as the venue for the 2026 final in June.