Washington Spirit women’s soccer will visit Angel City FC at 9 p.m. EDT Sunday, Aug. 16, in Los Angeles, Calif., with the National Women’s Soccer League match airing on ESPN. Washington enters the contest after back-to-back losses, only the third time since September 2023 that the club has lost two consecutive matches.
Washington Spirit rallied from a 0-3 deficit at Audi Field last weekend and equalized in the 90th minute. Trinity Rodman, Sofia Cantore and Rebeca Bernal scored for Washington. Rodman’s goal was her ninth of the 2026 regular season, establishing a single-season career high.
Trinity Rodman Reaches Career Milestone
Rodman’s goal also gave her 60 career regular-season goal contributions since she entered the NWSL in 2021. The total includes 37 goals and 23 assists, making Rodman the youngest player in NWSL history to reach 60 regular-season goal contributions.
Cantore also reached a career mark in Washington’s previous match. Her goal was the ninth of her NWSL career and her 11th in a Washington Spirit kit since she made her club debut last August.
Washington Spirit Holds Series Edge
Sunday’s match will be the first meeting between Washington Spirit and Angel City FC since a 2-2 draw in September 2025. That result was the first tie in the series’ history. Washington holds a 4-3-1 all-time record against Angel City, with a 15-13 goal differential.
Angel City won the first two meetings in 2022 before Washington won four straight in 2023 and 2024. Washington then recorded one loss and one draw against Angel City in two meetings last season. Across the first eight matches in the series, Ashley Hatch has scored four goals for Washington, while Rodman has three and Esme Morgan has two.
Angel City FC Enters Match in Strong Form
Angel City FC has earned at least one point in five of its six matches since the league-wide June break, with three wins and two draws. During that stretch, Angel City recorded a 2-0 road victory against San Diego Wave FC, another road win at Chicago and road draws against Kansas City and Seattle.
Angel City has outshot its opponents 105-77 since the return to play after the June break. Riley Tiernan leads the series with two goals for Angel City, while eight other Angel City players have scored once in the fixture. Angel City has also benefited from two Washington own goals since 2022.
Standings and Upcoming Matches
Washington Spirit and Utah Royals FC are tied at 36 points. Washington has a plus-12 goal differential and a match in hand, and any points Sunday would give the club a chance to recapture its spot in the top two.
Washington will return to Audi Field Sunday, Aug. 23, to host Orlando Pride at 4 p.m. EDT. The match will feature the Love is Loud: Pride theme. Angel City FC will remain at home that day to host Gotham FC at 8 p.m. EDT.
MSB Analysis
Washington Spirit women’s soccer enters the road match after its third occurrence of consecutive losses since September 2023. The late comeback from a 0-3 deficit and Rodman’s career-best scoring total will be part of the context as Washington faces an Angel City side that has earned points in five of its six matches since the June break.
Washington’s series record and the opportunity to regain ground in the standings add importance to the contest. Angel City’s 105-77 shot advantage since the June break gives Washington a clear challenge as it seeks points in Los Angeles.
Source: Original report
