The 2025 NWSL regular season is well underway, and this Saturday features a rematch of last year`s playoff contenders live on CBS. The Washington Spirit are set to host Gotham FC at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. Both teams are navigating significant player injuries leading up to the game. This marks their first meeting of the new year, with both sides considered strong candidates for the 2025 playoffs.
Gotham FC, under head coach Juan Carlos Amoros, face a quick turnaround after a midweek away loss to Portland Thorns FC. Meanwhile, Spirit manager Jonatan Giraldez`s squad is coming off a Week 5 victory against the 2024 NWSL champions, Orlando Pride.
Trinity Rodman Injury Status
Recent reports indicate that Trinity Rodman is currently away from the club to focus on managing her back injury, collaborating with both team and U.S. Soccer medical staff.
The 22-year-old attacker has experienced recurring back issues since her rookie season. Her latest spell has sidelined her for the 2025 season. Rodman`s struggles with the injury were noticeable during the late stages of the 2024 season, and the impactful player pushed through back pain during the 2024 NWSL Championship match.
“I`m not hiding the fact that my back is not feeling great, but I decided to stay in the game,” Rodman told the media after the 2024 NWSL Championship. “I could have pulled myself out, so that`s not an excuse. I wasn`t the Trin that I wanted to be today, so that`s a bummer.”
The U.S. women`s national team winger spent the remainder of 2024 resting and recovering and was not called into USWNT camps until April 2025. She started the current NWSL season on the Spirit`s bench to gradually increase her playing minutes in anticipation of the April international window. Her most recent appearances were 45 minutes off the bench for the Spirit against Louisville and 60 minutes for the USWNT against Brazil.
Spirit head coach Giraldez confirmed prior to Saturday`s game that there is no set timeline for Rodman`s return this season as she continues to receive treatment from specialists.
Here are key details and how to watch the match:
How to Watch & Odds
- Date: Saturday, April 25 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
- Location: Audi Field — Washington, D.C.
- TV: CBS | Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Spirit +155; Draw +230; Gotham +175
Previous Encounter
The teams last met in the 2024 NWSL postseason semifinals. Gotham was considered something of an upset threat, even though the second-place Spirit were the home team and rivals to Orlando for the Shield title before the 2024 playoffs. The semifinal match, held at Audi Field, saw a record playoff attendance for a high-stakes game that finished 1-1 after extra time and required a penalty shootout to decide the winner, with the Spirit ultimately advancing.
Gotham FC Perspective
Gotham has dealt with several player injuries early in the season. With this match being their third road game in a week, concluding their demanding schedule in Washington, D.C., the coaching staff is prioritizing player rotation to manage the workload.
“Well, I think it`s important that for us, the priority is the health and safety of the players, and we work really closely with our medical team, with our high-performance team, to make sure that the players are ready to compete and to play,” Amoros commented after their midweek match.
“And that`s not something new. It`s something that we`ve always done, and sometimes it`s the position we are in, something that we cannot really control, so we just try to adapt.”
Washington Spirit Perspective
The Spirit knew coming into the 2025 season that they would be missing some crucial players. Midfielder Andi Sullivan suffered an ACL injury in October 2024, and midfielder Croix Bethune returned to the active roster for 2025 after a torn meniscus but has not yet been able to play significant minutes. These absences have placed greater responsibility on other players throughout the roster, a challenge Spirit head coach Giraldez sees as an opportunity.
“It creates, for me, a big impact, a huge impact, because when you perform and when you win games, it doesn`t matter who is playing,” Giraldez told the media ahead of Saturday`s match.
“That`s the most beautiful thing, positive for the environment, for the culture, try to be as competitive as possible. It doesn`t matter who is playing. So I would like to say that as you know, as an opportunity, as a team, to grow together, especially in the bad moments, we know how easy is. In the good moments, when you are winning games, when everyone is healthy, that`s easy. But in the bad moments, we have to be there together, and we are showing a huge character as a team, and I am very happy for that.”
Predicted Lineups
Washington Spirit: Aubrey Kingsbury, Esme Morgan, Tara McKeown, Rebeca Bernal, Gabby Carle, Narumi Miura, Leicy Santos, Heather Stainbrook, Makenna Morris
Gotham FC: Ann Katrin Berger, Lilly Reale, Emily Sonnett, Jess Carter, Bruninha, Neely Martin, Jaelin Howell, Sarah Schupansky, Taryn Torres, Gabi Portilho, Esther Gonzalez
Match Prediction
With numerous injuries and the need to manage minutes for players on both sides, this match could again be a tightly contested, perhaps cautious affair. Questions may still linger regarding Gotham`s defense, but both teams possess sufficient attacking talent to likely produce goals in this encounter. Prediction: Spirit 1, Gotham 1.
