In their first game under interim head coach Tom Torres, the Washington Spirit couldn’t end their struggles, falling 1-0 to visiting Utah Royals FC. Amy Rodriguez, on a second attempt, finished off a Christen Press cross in the 12th minute for the game’s only goal. Utah kept their slim NWSL playoff hopes alive with the win. The Spirit, meanwhile, fell to a ninth straight defeat in what has been a brutal season.
Torres, who had just one training session after taking over after Jim Gabarra’s dismissal, made three changes to the side that suffered through a nightmarish defeat last weekend in Houston.