Washington Spirit stunned by late Angel City FC goal in 1-0 loss: Match report

The Washington Spirit's home woes continued Saturday, with a late stunner from Maiara Nieheus giving Angel City FC a 1-0 win before a rain-drenched Audi Field.

A sixth home loss from 13 matches is hardly the return expected from "Rowdy Audi," and the latest stumble leaves Washington with virtually no shot at the NWSL Shield.

While both teams exchanged half-chances and mild threats, the conditions meant that turnovers were among the biggest dangers. One such 29th-minute giveaway handed Sofia Cantore possession in the final third, but Monique Ngock couldn't read her teammate's intentions, eventually shooting tamely at Angelina Anderson rather than playing the return pass.

Cantore sprung another dangerous break in the 40th minute, but had to take too much off of her through ball for Trinity Rodman, turning a possible breakaway into a 1-v-2 for the U.S. women's national team forward. Rodman still manufactured a shot, but again Anderson had an easy save.

Washington were having marginally the better of the exchanges, but Prisca Chilufya spun to turn Lucia Di Guglielmo in the 57th minute, forcing Sandy MacIver into easily the most difficult save of the first hour.

Rodman's storming run through the middle saw a shot go a foot over the bar, while the visitors put together a few set-piece sequences that caused a bit of panic before the Spirit could clear their lines.

The Spirit gave a debut to new signing Clara Luvanga, though after just two days' training, chemistry was understandably lacking. MacIver — and nearly everyone else at Audi Field — got an 87th-minute jump scare as her attempted clearance was blocked by Sveindis Jónsdóttir, only to carom mercifully wide.

Maybe it was a warning. A bit of pinball in the Spirit's half fell to Angel City substitute Maiara Nieheus. With possibly her first touches since entering, the Brazilian midfielder took a quick touch before bending home a superb, angled shot from 21 yards to stun Audi Field.

Maiara Niehues from a looooooooong way out 🫨

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— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) September 26, 2026 at 8:21 PM

The defeat sees the Spirit (14-4-8) end the weekend in third place, one spot lower than they started it and eight points off of NJ/NY Gotham FC's NWSL Shield-leading pace. Washington's next match comes in eight days, with the Spirit heading to Texas to take on the Houston Dash. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.

Box score — NWSL regular season (game 26)
9/26/2026

Washington Spirit 0
Angel City FC 1 (Nieheus 88)

Lineups:
Spirit (433): Sandy MacIver; Lucia Di Guglielmo (Paige Metayer 76), Tara Rudd, Esme Morgan, Gabby Carle; Andi Sullivan (C) (Ashley Hatch 90), Hal Hershfelt, Monique Ngock (Mélissa Bethi 65); Rosemonde Kouassi (Clara Luvanga 65), Sofia Cantore (Tamara Bolt 76), Trinity Rodman

ACFC (4231): Angelina Anderson; Savy King, Emily Sams, Sarah Gorden (C), Evelyn Shores; Ary Borges, Carina Lageyre; Gisele Thompson, Ally Sentnor, Sveindis Jónsdóttir (Nealy Martin 93+); Prisca Chilufya (Taylor Suarez 71)

Bookings:
Spirit - None
ACFC - King 26, Shores 46+, Sentnor 74

Referee: Matt Thompson
Weather: Rain, occasional wind gusts, 59°
Attendance: 19,215