SAN JOSE, Calif. — Spirit gamers on Thursday afternoon fondly recalled what occurred a yr in the past within the NWSL semifinals.
Goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury mentioned it was a “nice recreation, aggressive.”
There have been nice saves for Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit. It was a bodily battle with a fair proportion of theatrics.
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Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt scored the equalizer towards the tip of regulation to ship the sport into additional time. In the end, the Spirit received in a shootout.
However the drama and depth appear par for the course each time these two groups meet on the pitch.
Gotham FC defender Jess Carter (27) clears the ball in opposition to Washington Spirit ahead Reward Monday (21) throughout a recreation on Oct. 1, 2025. Kyle Ross-Imagn Photographs
Saturday’s championship match between eighth-seeded Gotham and the second-seeded Spirit needs to be no totally different.
“You’re gonna get a very good recreation between Spirit and Gotham, that’s simply inevitable,” Gotham defender Emily Sonnett mentioned. “Each groups are actually organized. Each groups have unbelievable gamers, unbelievable expertise that’s laborious to cease. It’s thrilling to look at.”
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Hershfelt concurred.
“Each time we play them, whether or not it’s within the postseason or common season, it’s simply type of a loopy recreation — all the time,” Hershfelt mentioned. “They’re an excellent crew, and we’re an excellent crew, and I really feel like we each convey numerous depth on each side, so there’s all the time one thing. However yeah, I imply, they’re nice to play in opposition to. We play related kinds, so I really feel prefer it’s all the time a very enjoyable, aggressive recreation.”
These two groups all the time appear to convey the very best out of one another.
Is it time to deem this an official rivalry?
Spirit ahead was among the many many who believed so.
“I feel Gotham, there’s now somewhat little bit of a rivalry,” Rodman mentioned. “In order that’s thrilling for us and the followers and, clearly, simply the leisure of the sport.”
Washington Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt (17) controls the ball in opposition to Gotham FC midfielder Sofia Prepare dinner (21). Kyle Ross-Imagn Photographs
Saturday would be the forty fourth time these golf equipment have met — greater than every other two groups in league historical past. It’s the second straight yr they’re assembly within the playoffs, although the stakes have by no means been increased.
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There’s the regional proximity of the 2 golf equipment that makes Gotham vs. Spirit a pure rivalry. However the historical past between the 2 has added gasoline to the fireplace.
“We had the rivalry week the place they type of crew up groups to be rivals, and possibly it didn’t really feel tremendous genuine at first, however I undoubtedly really feel prefer it’s beginning to be a budding rivalry,” Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle mentioned. “Any time you play a crew that many instances, there’s going to be historical past behind annually.”
Gotham holds no residual emotions after final yr’s semifinals disappointment by the hands of the Spirit.
“I don’t suppose an excessive amount of in regards to the opponent, to be sincere, aside from the movie that we’re watching and the nice methods to interrupt them down and what to pay attention to,” Gotham ahead Midge Purce mentioned. “So I feel all that stuff type of comes extra into my thoughts after the sport, when somebody will get the bragging rights for a yr after which it’s enjoyable. However proper now, nope, we beat the 1 seed, we simply beat the three seed, and now we have now to take out the two seed.”
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Saturday needs to be one other spirited chapter of this rivalry.
“We’re two nice groups, and we have now individuals who can intestine out outcomes no matter how we’re feeling that day or how issues could also be going,” Hershfelt mentioned. “And I really feel like that’s type of what we attribute that to, simply the expertise that we have now, and we have now gamers which are capable of put stuff away.”