Washington Spirit Reach NWSL Championship Final

The Washington Spirit defeated NJ/NY Gotham FC in a dramatic penalty shootout to advance to the NWSL Championship. Goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury was instrumental, saving all three penalties, after the match ended 1-1 following extra time. Hal Hershfelt's stoppage-time header equalized for the Spirit, offsetting Esther González's earlier goal for Gotham, who were down to 10 players in extra time due to a red card. The victory propels the Spirit to face either the Orlando Pride or Kansas City Current in the final, scheduled for November 23 at CPKC Stadium. The Spirit's triumph came in front of a sold-out crowd of over 19,000 fans at Audi Field, highlighting the competitive parity among this season's top NWSL teams. Both teams exhibited strong performances, but the Spirit's resilience and Kingsbury's heroics secured their place in the championship match.