Washington Spirit couldn’t have been down in their luck at the best time. With the NWSL playoffs just around the corner, injuries have taken a toll on Jonatan Giráldez’s side. It was just days ago that they lost Trinity Rodman due to a back injury. Now, they are grappling with another major roadblock as midfielder Andi Sullivan has been placed on the season-ending injury list.

The injury blow came during Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of Orlando Pride, which made Marta and Co. champions of the NWSL Shield. As the final whistle approached, Sullivan’s unfortunate injury struck in the 90+2 minute, causing her to be carried off the pitch with a torn ACL. In her absence, defender Jenna Butler stepped in.

The club also shared that the 28-year-old will stay on the market during her recovery and collaborate with the Spirit’s Performance, Medical, and Innovation department to support her rehabilitation. Notably, just like Rodman, Sullivan was a crucial puzzle piece of the team, having made 21 appearances for the Spirits while also managing to notch 2 goals in the process.

To remind you, she was even called up for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, having made four starts in all the matches. However, she wasn’t called up by Emma Hayes for the recent Paris Olympics. Then again, Sullivan utilized that time to do the best for her domestic side, who are currently occupying a second place on the table with a tally of 47.

Even though three matches are remaining, a loss of three points to leaders Orlando saw the Spirits lose their chance of stealing the Shield from Seb Hines’ side. Despite the injury challenges, the positive news is that the team is guaranteed a home quarterfinal at Audi Field, even with a growing injury list.

Four players, including standout rookie Croix Bethune, are already out for the season. In addition, Sunday’s loss to Orlando saw forward Trinity Rodman sidelined with back problems, along with defender Casey Krueger (hip), forward Chloe Ricketts (knee), midfielder Leicy Santos (thigh), and forward Ouleymata Sarr (back) all listed as unavailable. However, worry not Spirit fans. The latest admission from boss Jonatan Giráldez will surely uplift your spirits.

A positive update on the return of Trinity Rodman and Casey Krueger ahead of the NWSL playoffs!

Friday’s presser saw Jonatan Giráldez provide the Washington Spirit supporters with a much-anticipated injury update regarding the sidelined stars. “I can tell you that Casey, Trin, Chloe [Ricketts], they are in a good shape,” said the 32-year-old Spanish tactician. “Tomorrow, we’ll decide, but the roster for sure will be bigger if we compare with the last week.”

However, when questioned about the recent blow to Andi Sullivan, Giraldez had little to say. “In terms of injuries, right now it’s not been a good situation for the team because we are missing several players,” he said, as per the Athletic. “But I always want to see the positive thing — different players had the opportunity to play, to compete today.”

Indeed, Andi Sullivan’s injury is a major setback for the Washington Spirit. A quick return of Trinity Rodman and other sidelined stars might be the only way to make it up to the fans.