The Washington Spirit’s quest to return to the NWSL final informally began last week with a hard-earned trophy, clinched in a dramatic penalty shootout in the stand-alone Challenge Cup. It began in earnest Friday night with a hard-earned three points.
The Spirit opened its regular season with a narrow 2-1 win at the Houston Dash at Shell Energy Stadium.
Forward Makenna Morris and Ashley Hatch put Washington ahead in the first half, but the Dash — a much-improved squad from the team that finished last in the league in 2024 — pulled back in the second and held the Spirit to just one shot across the game’s final 45 minutes.