In what was anticipated to be a close matchup, the second-seeded Washington Spirit managed to advance to the semifinals of the NWSL playoffs after a dramatic penalty shootout against Racing Louisville. The game took place at Audi Field amidst an energized crowd, where the Spirit initially asserted their dominance.

During the first half, Louisville struggled against the Spirit’s aggressive play, spending much of their time in their own defensive half. An early lead was on the cards for the Spirit when a potential goal from a set-piece was ruled offside. An injury to defender Gabby Carle interrupted the game’s flow, but the Spirit continued to lead on almost all offensive metrics by half-time.

The Spirit’s Gift Monday eventually found the back of the net, scoring a header to give Washington a crucial lead as they moved into stoppage time. Just when it seemed they had secured victory, Kayla Fischer of Racing brought the game back to level terms with a goal in the dying moments.

Aubrey Kingsbury, the Spirit’s goalkeeper, became the standout player in the penalty shootout, denying three consecutive attempts from Racing Louisville as they held on for the win. In her post-match comments, Kingsbury highlighted the team’s preparation and resilience under pressure. With this win, the Spirit now looks forward to facing the winner between Portland Thorns FC and San Diego Wave FC.