My 3 Thoughts on the NWSL Final
Rodman Stars as Washington Beats Chicago 2-1 in Extra-Time
Here are my three thoughts on the Washington Spirit’s 2-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars in extra-time in the 2021 NWSL final:
• A star is born, and her name is Trinity Rodman. Down 1-0 at halftime, the Washington Spirit needed an injection of energy in the second half, and the 19-year-old rookie Rodman provided it. She dominated the rest of the game, creating opportunities out of nothing, firing shots off the post and hitting the glorious cross in extra-time that Kelley O’Hara finished to give Washington the lead and the trophy. Rodman never played a college game—she attended Washington State briefly—and there were questions over whether she could make an impact in her first year as a pro. But she answered them emphatically all season and in the final. Rodman has an energy that’s reminiscent of her father, NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman, and she has no problem being a pest to opponents either. She’s also a technician on the ball, and she has the nerve to think and show she’s the best player on the field at age 19. I can’t wait to see what her future brings.
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• Spirit players made the big plays when it mattered. Take O’Hara. The USWNT right back got absolutely worked—Boateng’d, if you will—by Chicago’s Arin Wright before Wright’s cross on the first-half goal that put the Red Stars ahead (with just 10 players on the field at the time, by the way). But O’Hara kept going and picked a perfect time to score her first goal of the year on a perfectly directed header from Rodman’s cross for the winner. Then there was Washington’s Aubrey Bledsoe, the NWSL goalkeeper of the year, who made a phenomenal late save on Chicago’s Makenzy Doniak, who had somehow gotten free deep, to preserve the win. The Washington players have been through so much this year with the turmoil inside their team and the abuse scandal that is forcing Steve Baldwin to sell the team. But they played fantastic soccer down the stretch this season and are deserving champions.
• It’s crazy that Chicago even got to this point. The Red Stars put themselves in a position to take this game to extra-time despite not having these players available: Julie Ertz, Kealia Watt, Casey Krueger and Alyssa Naeher, and both Mal Pugh and Vanessa DiBernardo had to leave the final early with injuries. That’s a credit to coach Rory Dames and the players who led Chicago to this title game. It’s a measure of their resilience that they went into halftime ahead, scoring while having just 10 players on the field due to Pugh’s injury. Morgan Gautrat in particular was effective on Saturday, and the Red Stars should be optimistic about what comes ahead for this team once they get back to full strength.
What are your thoughts on the game? You can share them in the comments below.
True to the city of Chicago, the Red Stars got their with defense and grit. But I'm glad to see the Spirit bring the chip home. Rodman is a star in the making NWSL should build on.
As a Red Stars supporter, I couldn't be prouder of this team. They lived through quite a bit of adversity too in their journey. To reach the final and leave it that close is both gutting and exhilarating.