Clara Luvanga scored a second-half winner to lead the Washington Spirit to a 2-1 victory over the Utah Royals in the NWSL semi-final on Saturday. The win marks the fifth NWSL final appearance for the Spirit and their third consecutive trip to the championship match.
Luvanga scored her second goal of the postseason in the 57th minute, capitalizing on an errant pass from Nuria Rábano that rolled past Utah center-back Tatumn Milazzo. The striker chipped the ball over goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn to secure the victory at Audi Field in Washington DC. This performance marks Luvanga's fourth goal in all competitions since her September transfer from the Saudi club Al-Nassr.
Washington coach Adrián González noted that while the team has not had much time to work with Luvanga, she is learning quickly and understanding the demands of the league.
Utah opened the scoring in the second minute when Cloé Lacasse delivered an inswinging corner kick that reached the near post, resulting in the fastest goal in NWSL playoff history. Luvanga and goalkeeper Sandy MacIver both failed to react to the delivery.
Washington responded in the eighth minute when Luvanga played a diagonal ball to release Trinity Rodman. Rodman drove a low cross toward the near corner of the six-yard box, allowing Sofia Cantore to score a first-time equalizer.
The Washington Spirit, who won the 2021 title, will host the championship match at Audi Field after being awarded hosting rights in June. If they face Gotham FC in the final, it would be a rematch of the 2025 NWSL final held in San Jose, California.
Washington will face either top-seeded Gotham FC or the fourth-seeded Kansas City Current in the championship, depending on the outcome of the other semi-final scheduled for Sunday.
