Upsets have been impossible to come by in the first side of the 2024 NWSL playoffs bracket. Could the first elimination shock come when the number two seed Washington Spirit hosts expansion club Bay FC on Sunday afternoon?
Despite a formidable regular season, the Spirit come into the playoffs with a thinning squad and key players through injury and suspension.
Superstar midfielders Croix Bethune and Andi Sullivan are both serving lengthy spells on the sidelines with knee injuries, while forward Rosemonde Kouassi will serve a suspension in Sunday's quarterfinal. Head coach Jonatan Giraldez also ruled out forward Ouleymata Sarr from playing any role due to an injury.
All that being said, the Spirit's form hasn't fall off. Six wins from the final eight matches, including three in a row to close out the regular season, shows Washington has ample depth.
Bay are similarly playing some of their best soccer right as the season hits crunch time. The Californians won five of their final nine matches and dramatically were the final club to clinch a playoff spot on the regular season's final day.
Albertin Montoya's team has very few injury concerns. However, with a long away trip spanning the breadth of the United States and a three-hour time difference to factor in, Bay will be challenged to find its most energized self.
PLAYOFFS ARE HERE 😤
— Washington Spirit - x (@WashSpirit) November 9, 2024
TOMORROW NOV 10TH. AUDI FIELD. 12:30PM ET. BE THERE!
🔗 https://t.co/CzlgeDfIRe pic.twitter.com/7Zm4GvAPlN
Washington Spirit Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
GK: Aubrey Kingsbury—The club captain, in her seventh year with the Spirit, will be expected to lead from the back and offer big saves as well as vocal guidance.
RB: Gabby Carle—The Canadian has featured in every match of the 2024 season so far. Sensible, and patient, she has the most combined tackles and interceptions on the team with 99.
CB: Annaig Butel—A very settled defensive unit in the U.S. capital will see Butel resume her usual role as enforcer.
CB: Tara McKeown—As a former forward turned defender, McKeown can play the ball forward and offers some aerial threat too. Defensive discipline has come a long way.
LB: Casey Krueger—The Spirit's veteran star at the back has been in and out of the team the past few weeks as fatigue settled in from a long season. Almost certainly will start.
CDM: Hal Hershfelt—What a rookie year. The 22-year-old has played 25 matches and the third most minutes of any Spirit player (2,076). Leads the team in blocks with 39.
CDM: Heather Stainbrook—The rookie didn't start a match until October, but with Sullivan's injury should be the likely deputy in the middle of the pitch.
LAM: Trinity Rodman—With eight goals and six assists in the league, Rodman has been just as devastating in the NWSL as she has been on the international stage. Could be subbed out early if her back issue returns.
CAM: Leicy Santos—A thigh injury has cost Santos minutes throughout the last few weeks, but she should be back to full fitness now. Could be seen from the bench.
RAM: Makenna Morris—Morris is a local who grew up watching the Spirit at Audi Field as a teenager. The September/October rookie of the month is coming into payoffs playing her best soccer of the season.
CF: Ashley Hatch—A veteran presence who is incredibly reliable at putting away chances in the box. With Kouassi's suspension and Sarr's injury, she is the number-one choice at center forward.
Bay FC Predicted Lineup (4-1-4-1)
GK: Katelyn Rowland—The goalkeeping position has been a bit of a journey for Bay this year, but the reliable and experienced Rowland won the job midseason and will not be unseated.
RB: Caprice Dydasco—Defensively sound and possessing a dangerous right-footed cross, Dydasco has been arguably Bay's most consistent player all year.
CB: Abby Dahlkemper—Arriving midseason, Dahlkemper helped turn around Bay's defense that had struggled up until August. Recently spoke to Sports Illustrated about the decision to move back to her hometown.
CB: Emily Menges—The NWSL veteran won two Championship titles, a Shield, and a Challenge Cup while previously at the Portland Thorns. Her playoff experience will be vital to managing the mental aspect of the quarterfinal.
LB: Alyssa Malonson—One of Bay's breakout players, the full-back has great vision and technique to pick out passes, while always staying on assignment defensively.
CDM: Kiki Pickett—Earned her starting role midseason after Alex Loera picked up a knee injury. Pickett has been emblematic of the Bay's tactical switch to being tougher to beat in the second half of the season.
LM: Racheal Kundananji —The Zambian superstar arrived last offseason with a world-record price tag of $785,000. Her magical brace in Texas helped seal playoffs last week. Going forward, she is the X-factor.
CM: Dorian Bailey—This will be an emotional one for the tidy midfielder. Baily played four seasons with the Spirit and won an NWSL Championship with the club in 2021.
CM: Tess Boade—One of the most underrated attacking players in the NWSL. Boade can drive at defenses to open up space for others and has fantastic decision-making skills.
RM: Rachel Hill—With just 12 starts and 1,108 minutes, Hill hasn't always been in the lineup for Bay. But Montoya has leaned on the experienced attacker down the stretch and will stick with what's working.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Washington Spirit vs. Bay FC Predicted Lineups: NWSL Playoffs.
