Washington Spirit 3–4 North Carolina Courage, NWSL Matchday 16

Washington Spirit v North Carolina Courage

Washington Spirit2nd 36 pts

T. Rodman 47′
S. Cantore 50′
R. Bernal 90+1′

3

3–4

Full time

Sat 8 Aug

Expected goals: Washington Spirit 2.07, North Carolina Courage 1.63

North Carolina Courage5th 30 pts

A. Sanchez 2′
E. Ijeh 9′, 15′
N. Jacobs 90+5′

4

Sat 8 Aug, 6:30 pm EDT Audi Field NWSL 2026, Matchday 16

The match story

Croix Bethune portrait — Courtesy Kansas City Current

NWSL News

Croix Bethune set the NWSL single-season assist record against Washington

Her 17th-minute pass to Vanessa DiBernardo produced Kansas City’s winning goal; Bethune had matched the previous mark as a Spirit rookie in 2024.

3 November 2026

Key moments

2′Goal A. Sanchez (North Carolina Courage)0–1
9′Goal E. Ijeh (North Carolina Courage)0–2
15′Goal E. Ijeh (North Carolina Courage)0–3
47′Goal T. Rodman (Washington Spirit)1–3
50′Goal S. Cantore (Washington Spirit)2–3
90+1′Goal R. Bernal (Washington Spirit)3–3
90+5′Goal N. Jacobs (North Carolina Courage)3–4

Top performers

Washington Spirit

T. RodmanMWASshirt 21G5SH
S. CantoreWASshirt 27, came off the bench1G4SH
R. BernalWASshirt 4, came off the bench1G3SH

North Carolina Courage

E. IjehFNCshirt 102G2SH
A. SanchezMNCshirt 21G1SH
N. JacobsDNCshirt 41G1SH

Three per club, chosen from the match record: goals, then shots.

What it means

Washington Spirit

2ndNo change

In the playoff places, 13 points above Seattle Reign FC, with 11 to play.

North Carolina Courage

5th▲2 from 7th

In the playoff places, 7 points above Seattle Reign FC, with 12 to play.

Season series

Matchday 12 Sat 11 Jul

North Carolina Courage0

Washington Spirit2

Matchday 16 Sat 8 Aug

Washington Spirit3

North Carolina Courage4

Washington Spirit won one, North Carolina Courage won one; 5–4 on aggregate to Washington Spirit.

Team stats

WAS NC

Expected goals: Washington Spirit: 2.07; North Carolina Courage: 1.63
Possession: Washington Spirit: 58%; North Carolina Courage: 42%
Shots: Washington Spirit: 20; North Carolina Courage: 9
Corners: Washington Spirit: 7; North Carolina Courage: 2

NWSL table 2026

Standings →

NWSL table
#	Club	P	GD	Pts
1	Gotham FC	19	+12	40
2	Washington Spirit	19	+12	36
3	Utah Royals FC	18	+12	33
4	San Diego Wave FC	19	+4	32
5	North Carolina Courage	18	+6	30
6	Kansas City Current	18	+4	29
7	Portland Thorns FC	18	+3	28
8	Angel City FC	16	+7	23

After this result

By the numbers

North Carolina Courage have 6 points from last 5, in step with their season. 1.2 a match, against 1.5 all season. NWSL average 1.4.

Washington Spirit have 28 goals conceded, the 2nd fewest in the NWSL. 0.9 a match. NWSL average 1.4.

North Carolina Courage have scored 52 goals, the 4th most in the NWSL. 1.7 a match. NWSL average 1.4.

Washington Spirit have 9 away wins from 15 away, and 8 from 15 at home. 2.0 points a match away, 1.7 at home.

The match on the pitch

Washington Spirit: 58% possession; 106 possessions; 15% ended in a shot; 29% reached the box; 5.5 actions each
North Carolina Courage: 42% possession; 107 possessions; 8% ended in a shot; 17% reached the box; 4.0 actions each

Where each team won the ball

Washington Spirit

North Carolina Courage

Where each possession began, both teams attacking right. Washington Spirit started 15% of their possessions in the final third, North Carolina Courage 14%.

Where the shots came from

Washington SpiritNorth Carolina Courage

Washington Spirit attack right, North Carolina Courage left. A larger ringed dot is a goal. Own goals are not shots.

How each team moved the ball

Washington Spirit

North Carolina Courage

Passes between 20 zones, both teams attacking right. Forward moves in the team colour, backward moves dark, sideways moves pale; line weight is the share of the team’s passes.

How long possessions ran

Washington SpiritNorth Carolina Courage

Share of possessions by number of actions.

Longer possessions shot more

Washington SpiritNorth Carolina Courage

Of the possessions with each number of actions, the share that produced a shot. A gap marks too few possessions to rate.

Where play slowed down

Washington SpiritNorth Carolina Courage

Mean seconds between one action and the next in the same possession, by where the action happened.

Every recorded action

Observed match events

Every action recorded in this match, where it happened: what was seen on the pitch, not a simulated path. 1,725 events in the record.

Period Minute 98 Only the 5 minutes up to it

Washington Spirit attack right, North Carolina Courage left. Passes are arrows to where they ended, dashed when not completed; a ringed start is a restart. A dot is a shot, a larger ringed dot a goal; a diamond is a take-on, a square a keeper action. Showing the whole match.

Choose an action on the pitch or in the list to see everything recorded about it.

64 events shown.

Events shown, in recorded order
Time	Player	Team
0:37	H. Hershfelt	Washington Spirit
0:57	A. Schlegel	North Carolina Courage
1:27	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
4:53	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
6:29	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
7:06	R. Jackson	North Carolina Courage
7:27	E. Parkinson	North Carolina Courage
8:02	E. Ijeh	North Carolina Courage
14:09	T. Rudd	Washington Spirit
14:13	E. Ijeh	North Carolina Courage
17:08	P. Metayer	Washington Spirit
18:20	M. Bell	North Carolina Courage
18:31	A. Sullivan	Washington Spirit
18:53	P. Metayer	Washington Spirit
22:35	A. Sullivan	Washington Spirit
25:54	F. Rauch	North Carolina Courage
26:16	R. Jackson	North Carolina Courage
32:25	G. Carle	Washington Spirit
35:14	P. Metayer	Washington Spirit
35:31	E. Ijeh	North Carolina Courage

Page 1 of 4

Lineups

Washington SpiritFormation 4-2-3-1

Washington Spirit, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 18 S. MacIver. Line 1: 14 G. Carle, 9 T. Rudd, 24 E. Morgan, 6 K. Wiesner. Line 2: 17 H. Hershfelt, 12 A. Sullivan. Line 3: 26 P. Metayer, 10 L. Santos, 2 T. Rodman. Line 4: 11 C. Martínez.

Washington Spirit lineup: 11 starters, then 5 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG
18	S. MacIver	90	0	0	0.00
14	G. Carle, off at 80′	80	0	0	0.00
6	K. Wiesner	90	0	1	0.11
12	A. Sullivan, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.04
9	T. Rudd	90	0	0	0.00
24	E. Morgan, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.00
26	P. Metayer, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.00
17	H. Hershfelt	90	0	–	–
11	C. Martínez, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.00
10	L. Santos	90	0	0	0.05
2	T. Rodman	90	1	0	0.29
Substitutes
4	R. Bernal, on at 46′	45	1	0	0.58
16	T. Bolt, on at 46′	45	0	–	–
27	S. Cantore, on at 46′	45	1	0	1.01
35	M. Haugen, on at 80′	10	0	0	0.15
5	É. Tsé, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.00
Team			3	1	2.32

Unused: K. Collins, E. Gaines-Ramos, A. Hatch, S. Wojdelko

All player stats

Washington Spirit lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 9 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG	Sh	SOT	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
14	G. Carle, off at 80′	80	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	78%	1	1
6	K. Wiesner	90	0	1	0.11	2	0	3	83%	1	2
12	A. Sullivan, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.04	1	0	0	87%	1	0
9	T. Rudd	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	85%	1	4
24	E. Morgan, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	87%	0	0
26	P. Metayer, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	60%	2	0
17	H. Hershfelt	90	0	–	–	2	–	0	78%	0	1
11	C. Martínez, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	82%	2	0
10	L. Santos	90	0	0	0.05	1	0	7	78%	1	1
2	T. Rodman	90	1	0	0.29	5	3	0	73%	1	2
Substitutes
4	R. Bernal, on at 46′	45	1	0	0.58	3	2	0	89%	0	1
16	T. Bolt, on at 46′	45	0	–	–	1	–	2	71%	2	0
27	S. Cantore, on at 46′	45	1	0	1.01	4	2	0	67%	1	0
31	K. Collins	–
29	E. Gaines-Ramos	–
33	A. Hatch	–
35	M. Haugen, on at 80′	10	0	0	0.15	1	0	1	75%	0	0
5	É. Tsé, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	88%	0	1
28	S. Wojdelko	–
Team			3	1	2.32	20	8	14	81%	13	13

Washington Spirit goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
18	S. MacIver	90	1	5	20%	4	0

North Carolina CourageFormation 4-2-3-1

North Carolina Courage, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 1 K. Sheridan. Line 1: 13 R. Williams, 4 N. Jacobs, 25 M. Bell, 11 F. Rauch. Line 2: 16 R. Jackson, 20 S. Koyama. Line 3: 35 A. Schlegel, 19 E. Parkinson, 2 A. Sanchez. Line 4: 10 E. Ijeh.

North Carolina Courage lineup: 11 starters, then 5 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG
1	K. Sheridan	90	0	0	0.00
13	R. Williams	90	0	0	0.00
11	F. Rauch	90	0	1	0.00
20	S. Koyama	90	0	1	0.00
4	N. Jacobs	90	1	0	0.14
25	M. Bell	90	0	0	0.00
35	A. Schlegel, off at 60′	60	0	1	0.11
16	R. Jackson, off at 60′	60	0	0	0.04
10	E. Ijeh, off at 82′	82	2	0	0.66
19	E. Parkinson, off at 60′	60	0	0	0.00
2	A. Sanchez, off at 46′	45	1	0	0.34
Substitutes
7	L. Thompson, on at 60′	30	0	0	0.00
8	C. Okafor, on at 82′	8	0	0	0.21
14	C. Wickenheiser, on at 60′	30	0	0	0.03
26	V. Bøe Risa, on at 60′	30	0	0	0.00
33	H. Betfort, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.11
Team			4	3	1.63

Unused: M. White, N. Staude, D. Weatherholt, U. Shiragaki

All player stats

North Carolina Courage lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 9 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG	Sh	SOT	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
13	R. Williams	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	76%	1	2
11	F. Rauch	90	0	1	0.00	0	0	2	78%	3	5
20	S. Koyama	90	0	1	0.00	0	0	1	86%	0	1
4	N. Jacobs	90	1	0	0.14	1	1	0	73%	1	0
25	M. Bell	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	89%	1	2
35	A. Schlegel, off at 60′	60	0	1	0.11	1	0	1	57%	1	0
16	R. Jackson, off at 60′	60	0	0	0.04	1	0	0	80%	0	0
10	E. Ijeh, off at 82′	82	2	0	0.66	2	2	0	70%	0	0
19	E. Parkinson, off at 60′	60	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	88%	1	1
2	A. Sanchez, off at 46′	45	1	0	0.34	1	1	0	69%	3	0
Substitutes
99	M. White	–
7	L. Thompson, on at 60′	30	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	71%	0	1
8	C. Okafor, on at 82′	8	0	0	0.21	1	1	0	100%	0	0
12	N. Staude	–
14	C. Wickenheiser, on at 60′	30	0	0	0.03	1	0	0	83%	1	1
17	D. Weatherholt	–
18	U. Shiragaki	–
26	V. Bøe Risa, on at 60′	30	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	80%	0	0
33	H. Betfort, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.11	1	0	0	50%	0	0
Team			4	3	1.63	9	5	6	76%	12	13