WASHINGTON — Clara Luvanga scored her second goal of the post-season in the 57th minute, capitalizing on an errant pass, and the Washington Spirit reached their fifth NWSL Championship and third straight with a 2-1 semifinal victory over the Utah Royals on Saturday.
Luvanga raced onto Nuria Rábano’s ill-advised ball after it rolled past Utah center back Tatumn Milazzo, then chipped it softly over charging goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn for the winning score.
Luvanga also played a crucial pass to create Sofia Cantore's eighth-minute leveler for the No. 3-seeded Spirit, who will seek their second title at home after receiving hosting rights in June. Washington will face either No. 1-seeded Gotham FC or the fourth-seeded KC Current, who meet in the semifinals on Sunday.
Luvanga's contributions made up for her hesitation on Cloé Lacasse's second-minute opener from a corner kick for Utah. Luvanga and goalkeeper Sandy McIver both failed to react as Lacasse's in-swinging service sneaked in at the near post.
It was the fastest goal in NWSL playoff history and the second of Utah's first-ever postseason.
Luvanga made amends six minutes later, playing a diagonal ball to free Trinity Rodman down the left. Rodman drove in a low cross toward the near corner of the 6-yard box, and Cantore arrived ahead of her defender for a first-time finish.
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If the Spirit face Gotham FC, it would be a rematch of Gotham's 1-0 2025 NWSL Championship win in San Jose, Calif.
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