SPECIAL COLLABORATION
In the NWSL, the arrival of fall means a race for the playoffs.
With only 4 games left in the regular season, the countdown is on for the teams still trying to secure a place among the eight advancing to the end-of-season tournament. Fortunately for us, our ticket has been assured since the beginning of September, following a 2-1 victory against Portland. At the very last minute, a trend for us this season. Currently second in the standings, we are in a good position to play our first two playoff games at home.
Learn more about the Washington Spirit since returning from the Olympics; our notable moments, notable changes as well as a preview of what awaits us.
Last year, our battle for a playoff spot stretched to our very last game. A 1-0 defeat had slammed the front door in our faces. Having a guaranteed spot in the playoffs two months before the end of the regular season is therefore a drastically different experience for us, a testament to the evolution of our team over the past year. And an evolution which is the result of the changes made to the club this season, the most notable being the implementation of a possession style of play by our Spanish coaches. The arrival of our head coach Jonatan Giraldez in June only solidified this new style of play and the mentality that comes with it.
His late arrival is due to the fact that he was finishing his term with FC Barcelona, winner of the Champions League, the tournament crowning the best team in Europe, this season. He is therefore a coach who knows how to win. His mentality is simple, even clichéd, but effective: we train like we play. Each training session is important, an opportunity to prepare for the fight that awaits us this weekend.
From week to week, it features a different starting 11 on match day, allowing each player to gain confidence on the pitch and be ready to be called upon to perform at any moment. An approach that has paid off over the past month.
Despite the injuries that affected our squad, we climbed the rankings and continue to improve from match to match. Our most notable recent result was against Kansas City at home: a 4-1 victory over a team that was until that point undefeated. It’s a feat that we will have the opportunity to repeat this week, this time against Orlando. After 22 matches played, they still remain undefeated. If they win against us, they will have officially won the “Shield”, awarded to the first team in the regular season standings. This will be a high-stakes clash not to be missed!
This season, the NWSL Championship final will be played on November 23 at CPK Stadium in Kansas City. Although a first or second place finish in the regular season standings does not guarantee a place in the final, they provide the advantage of playing at home for the quarter and semi-final matches. Our objective for these last 4 matches will therefore be to maintain our place at the top of the rankings, starting with a favorable performance against Orlando. And who knows, with 7 points ahead of us, they will be difficult to catch up with, but not impossible.
