Washington Spirit run out of gas as Club América claim Concacaf W Champions Cup final: Match report

The Washington Spirit's quest to add a second trophy to their history will go on a bit longer.

The 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup ended with an instant classic, but the Spirit won't want to relive a 5-3 loss to Club América at Estadio Hidalgo in Pachuca, Mexico.

Despite recovering from a two-goal deficit thanks to a wonderful long-range goal from Sofia Cantore and a second-half brace from Rosemonde Kouassi, mistakes at the back gifted América the victory. Ex-NWSL players Scarlett Camberos (1 goal/2 assists) and Geyse (2 goals) starred for the Liga MX Femenil champions, while 2023 World Cup winner Irene Guerrero scored the eventual winner.

A physical opening saw the Spirit get on the front foot, but the positive start produced no serious looks on goal until an América counter in the 18th minute, when Scarlett Camberos' low cross grazed Tara Rudd's knee before hitting the outside of the post.

Washington finally turned threat into chance generation in the 21st minute, with Rebeca Bernal's free kick from deep on the right flank floating perfectly over several leaping América players. Leicy Santos seemed sure to score, but guided a falling shot wide.

It was a miss the Spirit would regret. Immediately as play resumed, América broke Washington's press. Camberos, in isolation on the left, created just enough space to cut the ball past Gabby Carle, where it found Aylín Avílez unmarked for a 22nd-minute tap-in.

América would double their advantage just five minutes later. Rudd's step to win a loose ball from an Águilas throw-in came up empty, allowing Geyse to play a one-two with Camberos. Geyse — who scored just twice in 17 NWSL appearances in a disappointing stint with NJ/NY Gotham FC last season — then fought through Esme Morgan's challenge, retained possession, and simply overpowered Sandy MacIver with a thunderous close-range finish.

The Spirit nearly had an instant response, creating a golden chance from kickoff. Sofia Cantore's slipped-in ball picked out Rosemonde Kouassi, but the Côte d'Ivoire winger's shot clipped Itzel Velasco's head and bounced away from danger.

Washington wouldn't have to wait much longer for a goal. Facing a big gap in América's shape in the 30th minute, Cantore charged forward, carrying the ball 30 yards without being confronted. With Velasco possibly not expecting a shot, the Italy attacker prone to long-range goals did what she does, striking a brilliant 35-yard shot into the bottom corner.

OMG SOFIA CANTORE

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— Hey Spirits! (@heyspirits.bsky.social) May 23, 2026 at 10:11 PM

Cantore barely celebrated as Washington tried to keep the momentum going, and she nearly equalized just two minutes later. Again Cantore found a seam between the lines, this time playing a give-and-go with Trinity Rodman. The latter's return pass was true, and Cantore's sliding shot beat Velasco only to hit the inside of the post, bounding along the goal line and — somehow — out of danger.

Santos missed on a long-range shot of her own, while Geyse's falling, 38th-minute overhead kick appeared to graze Lucia Di Guglielmo's hand before going out. In NWSL play, that would have been a real worry, but with no VAR in the Concacaf W Champions Cup, Washington escaped unscathed.

The Spirit may have felt the first half was a lost opportunity, but they wasted no time getting after it in the second. Just seconds after kickoff, Santos' pass on the turn from midfield broke América's lines, sending Kouassi in behind. Águilas left back Sofia Ramos fell, clipping Kouassi's heel, but the Spirit winger shrugged it off, keeping her balance before lofting a shot over Velasco and in.

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE

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— Hey Spirits! (@heyspirits.bsky.social) May 23, 2026 at 10:44 PM

The Spirit kept hammering away, with multiple long-range efforts (none closer than Morgan's bid that shaved the crossbar in the 54th minute), and would go in front in the 58th minute.

It started with an enterprising run from Carle, before Cantore and Santos combined to find Kouassi isolated against Ramos. Kouassi feinted inside before going around the defender, then chipped the ball from a low angle over Velasco, who couldn't have been expecting a shot given the situation.

WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO MEET ROSEMONDE KOUASSI

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— Hey Spirits! (@heyspirits.bsky.social) May 23, 2026 at 10:57 PM

The goal, Kouassi's sixth in the tournament, put her atop the Concacaf W Champions Cup scoring charts.

América responded with a triple substitution, but they had little to do with a near-instant equalizer. Again it was self-destruction from the Spirit, with MacIver's attempt to spray the ball wide towards Rudd coming without a simple shoulder-check. If she had looked, she'd have seen Geyse sprinting in, with the Brazil forward blocking the pass directly into the goal to level the scores.

América suddenly had new life. MacIver did well to deny another Geyse shot, while Carle had to hack a loose ball off the line (and appeared to get away with a handball in the process) to keep things level. Nancy Antonio's 74th-minute rocket from distance forced another strong save out of MacIver, bringing a loud, pro-Águilas crowd to full volume.

In the thin air, the game had taken on the feel of a Liga MX Femenil liguilla clash more than a normal Spirit game, and América seized their opening.

Santos lost the ball in the 79th minute, much to her frustration, and Washington simply couldn't get back into shape to prevent a break. Guerrero stormed forward before finding Camberos, who was able to return the ball and find the Spain midfielder near the penalty spot. From there, Guerrero was clinical, crushing a shot into the bottom corner.

The Spirit hadn't threatened in ages, but Kouassi manufactured a golden chance in the 81st minute. Chasing down Morgan's diagonal, Kouassi torched Ramos again, but her cutback evaded both Cantore and substitute Claudia Martínez.

With the clock against them, the Spirit finally turned to their bench in a significant way, sending Gift Monday, Andi Sullivan, and Kate Wiesner in for a late gamble. Other than a half-hearted penalty shout on Monday's first action, the kitchen-sink approach didn't make a dent.

Finally, with the Spirit effectively playing a 2-3-5, América put the final nail in the coffin. Geyse's work rate was once again a huge factor, this time stripping Rudd at midfield. Suddenly facing a 2-on-2 break, Geyse held the ball until MacIver approached before dishing it to Camberos, whose shot had just enough on it to glance off Morgan and get over the line.

The Spirit, having concluded a grueling 13-day trip to the west coast and Mexico in frustrating fashion, will take some time to recover before one last test heading into the World Cup break. Washington will host the Seattle Reign on Saturday, May 30 at Audi Field, with kickoff set for the unusual time of 6:30 p.m. ET.

Box score — 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup Final
5/23/2026 — Played at Estadio Hidalgo (Pachuca, Mexico)

Washington Spirit 3 (Cantore 30; Kouassi 46, 58)
Club América 5 (Avílez 22; Geyse 27, 61; Guerrero 79; Camberos 96+)

Lineups:
Spirit (4231): Sandy MacIver; Gabby Carle (Gift Monday 86), Tara Rudd (C), Esme Morgan, Lucia Di Guglielmo (Kate Wiesner 86); Rebeca Bernal, Hal Hershfelt; Rosemonde Kouassi, Leicy Santos (Andi Sullivan 86), Trinity Rodman (Claudia Martínez 68), Sofia Cantore

América (4141): Itzel Velasco; Karina Rodríguez (Karen Luna 59), Isa Haas, Kimberly Rodríguez, Sofia Ramos; Gabriela García; Montserrat Saldívar (Sarah Luebbert 59), Nancy Antonio (Chidinma Okeke 91+), Aylín Aviléz (Irene Guerrero 59), Scarlett Camberos (C); Geyse

Bookings:
Spirit - Rodman 42, Martínez 89
América - Avílez 56, Geyse 66, García 70

Referee: Carly Shaw-McLaren
Weather: On-and-off rain, 61°
Attendance: Will add if I get it