Legacy concede twice in six minutes, fall to Spirit, snapping three-game unbeaten run
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — By coach Filipa Patão’s assessment, Boston Legacy FC’s loss to Washington boiled down to one major defect.
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“You need to have the mentality of a killer when you are inside the box,” she said.
After a promising return from the NWSL’s monthlong World Cup break, Patão’s squad struggled to convert its chances and suffered its first setback since May, dropping a 2-1 decision to Trinity Rodman and the Spirit.
With an announced 10,101 at Rhode Island’s Centreville Bank Stadium — the Legacy’s first sellout crowd — Boston (4-8-4, 16 points) suffered its first loss since May 30, and the Spirit (9-3-3, 30 points) took first place from Gotham FC on goal differential.
Boston recorded 11 shots (three on goal) to the Spirit’s seven, and the majority of the Legacy’s opportunities came on balls over the top to their speedy strikers and crosses into the box.
“If you have five opportunities, you need to score five goals,” Patão said. “You can [concede], but if you score the chances you create, you will be fine in this type of game.”
Washington jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first half, and though Sammy Smith got one back for Boston in the 88th minute, the Legacy couldn’t complete the comeback. Smith’s goal marked the second of the season for the Hanson native, who came on as a 59th-minute substitute.
The Legacy entered Sunday unbeaten in three games, including consecutive shutout victories against Chicago on July 10 and Orlando on Wednesday. The loss marked Boston’s first since a 1-0 decision against Kansas City in the last game before the break.
Boston struggled to clear its lines after a corner in the 25th minute, and the Spirit capitalized on the extended time in the attacking third. Leicy Santos sent a cross into the box, and Tara Rudd beat Legacy goalkeeper Casey Murphy with a lofty header that looped into the corner of the net.
Rodman doubled the advantage six minutes later when she received a perfectly placed through ball from Gift Monday behind Boston’s back line and beat Murphy low.
With her seventh goal of the season, Rodman moved into a tie for fourth in league scoring.
Boston’s first-half deficit wasn’t for a lack of chances, particularly by Aïssata Traoré, who is tied for the team lead with four goals. The Malian striker recorded two first-half shots, including a header that went wide just moments after Rudd’s opening goal and a point-blank shot in stoppage time that sailed just inches over the crossbar.
“Our next step is focusing on those and putting those away and closing games out early so we don’t go two behind,” Smith said. “But we had chances. We just need to put them away.”
Boston will return to Pawtucket at 5 p.m. Saturday to face Kansas City before starting August in Denver against its fellow expansion team, the Summit.
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