Rodman's NWSL Comeback.
Trinity Rodman's Late Winner Secures Washington Spirit's 2-1 Victory as NWSL Returns.
Trinity Rodman scored two goals, including a stoppage-time winner, to lift the Washington Spirit past the Houston Dash 2-1 on Friday night. AP News reported the result marked the NWSL's first action after a long summer break.
In other opening-weekend results, the Kansas City Current beat the Denver Summit 3-0, and Angel City topped the reigning champion Orlando Pride 2-0, according to El Paso Inc.
Rodman Seals It With Late Stoppage-Time Strike
Rodman put the Spirit ahead early, then Houston pulled level to make it 1-1. With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Rodman struck again in stoppage time to seal all three points. The win gave Washington a strong start to the second half of the NWSL season, according to Newsday.
Rodman's brace — two goals in a single match — made her the night's standout performer. The Spirit's win was the headline result of the NWSL's return weekend, per Yahoo Sports.
Houston Forced to Play Without Goalkeeper of the Year
Houston's night got harder before it even started. Reigning NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year Lorena was ruled out with a hip injury. Backup Marisa Jordan stepped in and made three saves, though it was not enough to hold off Rodman, AP News reported.
Lorena won the Goalkeeper of the Year award for her strong 2024 campaign. Her absence left a clear gap in Houston's defensive setup, and Washington took full advantage in the final minutes.
Kansas City and Angel City Also Win Big
The Spirit were not alone in starting the second half on a high note. Kansas City Current beat the newly formed Denver Summit 3-0. It was a dominant performance that showed the Current's title ambitions are still alive, per Winnipeg Free Press.
Angel City also picked up a big win, defeating Orlando Pride 2-0. The Pride entered the weekend as the reigning NWSL champions, making Angel City's clean sheet result one of the weekend's biggest upsets, according to CT Post.
NWSL Returns After Extended Summer Pause
The NWSL took a lengthy break during the summer months before Friday's matches kicked off the second portion of the 2025 season. The league resumed with a full slate of games across multiple cities, per The Record.
Friday's action set up what promises to be a competitive race through the rest of the season. With the Pride dropping points and multiple contenders winning, the standings race just got tighter heading into the fall, according to Oskaloosa.
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