Washington Spirit is still taking forward Trinity Rodmans return to the pitch day by day, as the club navigates multiple player injuries heading into the first round of the NWSL playoffs on Saturday. Rodman missed the Spirits last two games due to a grade 1 MCL sprain that occurred during the teams Concacaf Champions Cup match last month.
Several players who have been out in recent weeks due to varying injuries were available for limited training Friday ahead of the Spirits quarterfinal match with Racing Louisville. Rodman, Croix Bethune and Deborah Abiodun were all part of training Friday.
Last week, the Spirit traveled with a limited roster of 16 players for their final game of the regular season against the Utah Royals. Spirit head coach Adrian Gonzalez said it was a strategic decision meant to prioritize rest ahead of the postseason. The Spirit had 11 players unavailable for selection on matchday last week.
Weve been trying to recover as many players as possible, Gonzalez told reporters on Friday. With the international break, a lot of players were gone with the national teams, and we were prioritizing rest (and) recovery so try to have the best availability as possible for the playoffs. We are in a good spot.
Rodman has been absent from the Spirits rotation for nearly a month after sustaining a Grade 1 MCL sprain in her right knee. The injury occurred during a CONCACAF W Champions Cup match against Monterrey on Oct. 15.
Shes checking those boxes, and shes in a good spot mentally and, physically, shes improving, Gonzalez said. Shes doing a great job, very committed to her recovery, doing as much as possible to be in the best spot as possible. We are optimistic.
Rodmans knee injury was a heartbreaking setback for the 23-year-old. Days earlier, the forward was called up by U.S. womens national team head coach Emma Hayes for a trio of friendlies for the October window. It would have been Rodmans first time back with the U.S. since April, after recovering from a recurring back injury that has plagued her since her rookie season.
Rodmans return would be a vital boost to the Spirit as they head into the postseason. The team ended the regular season in second place, but lost its last two games of the NWSL regular season to Orlando Pride and the Royals.
Racing clinched their first-ever berth to the NWSL postseason with their win against Bay FC last week. The team is looking to continue its historic season with an upset win on Saturday.
The last week has been critical for the Spirit to regroup and return to basics. They are slowly welcoming injured players back into the club environment, and Gonzalez said the team had a strong week in training. The Spirit are returning to the NWSL playoffs after falling to the Pride last year in the NWSL Championship.
We clinched high, or whatever, but we dont care, said Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt. Were coming at it with a humble mindset. We want to fight and were hungry. We want to kill anyone that we meet in the playoffs, and it doesnt matter who it is.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Washington Spirit, NWSL, Women’s Soccer
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