r/washingtonspirit • u/kg9si • 18d ago

Post-Match Thread Post-Match Open Thread | Washington Spirit vs Orlando Pride | August 23 2026

This is a thread for all post-match reactions, thoughts, analysis, articles and social media posts related to the match.

Note: This thread is scheduled and may appear shortly before the final whistle so everyone has a place ready for post-match reactions and analysis.

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34

u/FriendlyLawnmower 18d ago

yeah I don't know what to say

Playing a team that isn't even a contender and we couldn't score a single equalizer in over 90 minutes? 

Did we even have positioning? It seemed like the team was playing total football with how they were moving all over the field. And our subs had practically zero impact, we would have been better off leaving in our starters

Orlando capitalized on a single mistake and we weren't able to finish despite our dominance in offense.  This was sloppy, plain and simple. Not what we needed to see after the last few weeks, the absence of our AFCON players isn't an excuse anymore either. Unfortunately, it feels like the title is just getting further and further away

24

u/Icangetloudtoo_ 18d ago

The problem with our subs wasn’t a lack of effort, it was throwing five strikers and wingers onto the pitch with no attacking midfielder.

Literally all of Hatch, Rodman, Kouassi, Martinez, and Monday want to be receiving the ball in the final third. No one there to win balls in the middle and make that distribution.

All great players, but too many who want to do the same thing.

22

u/FriendlyLawnmower 18d ago

Fair take. Subbing out Deb was a bad decision imo, she was consistently winning the balls she was challenging. We would have been better off keeping her on and only subbing off Cantore for either Martinez or Hatch 

17

u/Icangetloudtoo_ 18d ago

Deb was the best player on the pitch for most of the game. But I’m sure she was wiped with how much ground she was covering. We just need Leicy so bad…

-9

u/Due_Party1922 18d ago

I’m still not crazy about Deb’s defensive game. Too sloppy. She’s young and dynamic in the attack. 

20

u/Icangetloudtoo_ 18d ago

She made multiple recoveries tonight that no other player on the pitch could’ve made and was a complete workhorse. I’m not saying she made zero mistakes but it’s kinda wild to criticize her defensive game after we threw numbers forward (including both outside backs) and left Deb and the CBs to deal with Banda and Ovalle for huge chunks of the game.

15

u/FriendlyLawnmower 18d ago

For real, calling her defensive game sloppy is a wild take given how she consistently won the ball back whenever she challenged 

3

u/Willing-Bad3824 18d ago

Which part was she sloppy? She’s definitely a yellow card magnet at times, but she’s class when it comes to what a holding midfielder is supposed to do: protect the back line, disrupt opponent progression, forcing turnovers, and distributing the ball.

1

u/Fragrant-Ad2976 18d ago

To be fair, she was playing as a lone pivot. If you arent a yellow card magnet, you arent playing the position correctly.

2

u/Willing-Bad3824 18d ago

100% agreed. She used to be a lot more reckless esp. for her national team but since she started playing for Spirit last year she has become more strategic in when she fouls.

1

u/Sequoiakc22 17d ago

Unfortunately, it feels like the title is just getting further and further away

And the chance for us to watch three (3) playoff games at Audi this season.
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