As the Washington Spirit prepare for their showdown with the Orlando Pride in the NWSL Championship match, goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury points to her team’s unwavering resilience as the key factor that has propelled them to the brink of claiming the title.
The Spirit’s Never-Say-Die Mentality
Throughout the 2024 season, the Spirit have consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to fight back from deficits and score crucial late goals. In fact, they have tallied more goals after the 80th minute than any other team in the league.
This never-say-die attitude was evident from the very start of the season, when the Spirit rallied from a goal down to defeat expansion side Bay FC 2-1 in their home opener, with midfielder Croix Bethune netting the winner deep into stoppage time.
Kingsbury: “We Never Feel We’re Out of It”
Kingsbury, a veteran of the Spirit’s 2021 championship-winning campaign, emphasized that the team’s refusal to accept defeat puts immense pressure on their opponents. “We never feel we are out of it,” she told ESPN. “Even if we are multiple goals down, we always have the belief that we can come back.”
“Now that we’ve got so many late winners under our belt, even other teams probably feel a little bit on edge towards the end of games because they know that we are never out of it and we will always keep fighting to come back.”
– Aubrey Kingsbury, Washington Spirit goalkeeper
Overcoming Adversity and Roster Turnover
The Spirit’s path to the championship match has been far from smooth. The team underwent significant changes in the offseason, with 13 new players joining the roster over the past two years. Head coach Jonatan Giraldez also arrived midseason from FC Barcelona to take the reins.
Despite these challenges, Giraldez praised his team’s resilience and dedication. “Maybe nobody thought that this season, the first season, with the changes that we have with rookies, with injuries, no way to get it,” he said. “But I think that what we are doing behind the scenes is a great job.”
Showdown with the Stingy Orlando Pride Defense
The Spirit’s never-say-die mentality will be put to the ultimate test against the Orlando Pride, who boast the league’s stingiest defense, particularly in the later stages of matches. The Pride have conceded just one goal after the 80th minute all season, setting the stage for a clash between the Spirit’s relentless attack and the Pride’s immovable backline.
Kingsbury, however, remains undaunted. Drawing parallels to the Spirit’s 2021 championship run, she expressed confidence in her team’s ability to rise to the occasion.
“I have a lot of confidence in this team and it’s not just out of nothing. There’s reason behind that and it’s because of how we train and compete every day. Since pre-season in pouring rain, we went all the way to California to just be rained on the whole time. But from day one, this entire organisation has been bought in.”
– Aubrey Kingsbury, Washington Spirit goalkeeper
As the Spirit and Pride prepare to face off for the NWSL’s ultimate prize, one thing is certain: the Spirit will not go down without a fight. With their never-say-die attitude and unwavering belief in one another, Kingsbury and her teammates are determined to etch their names in the history books once more.
