The Spirit fans have been yearning for the return of their main striker, Trinity Rodman. There were hopeful signs following a recent injury that the USWNT standout is likely to be back on the field ahead of schedule. One can easily see the impact of her absence on the Washington Spirit since her injury, as the team struggles to fill the void left by one of its key pillars, inevitably knocking that out of the lineup. For the powerhouse USWNT forward, the only question is: when can she get rest?

However, it looks like there’s some exciting news on the horizon for the Washington Spirit and the U.S. women’s national team. Spirit head coach Jonatan Giráldez revealed on Friday that USWNT players Trinity Rodman and Casey Krueger are nearing their injury comeback. Both players could potentially be available for Sunday’s NWSL match against Racing Louisville.

“I can tell you that Casey, Trin, and Chloe [Ricketts], they are in good shape,” Giráldez told reporters during a press conference. “Tomorrow, we’ll decide, but the roster for sure will be bigger if we compare with the last week.”

For a squad that lost midfield pillar Andi Sullivan to an ACL tear during last Sunday’s 2-0 loss to the Orlando Pride, Rodman and Krueger’s development is critical. Giraldez emphasized that he wasn’t guaranteeing the return of the players he mentioned, making Saturday’s final pre-game practice the last hurdle they need to clear.

“As I always say, I don’t want to say 100% because we have to train,” said Giraldez. “One training session is [left], and I want to, tomorrow, confirm that 100%.” Both Krueger and Rodman sustained injuries during last month’s 3-0 loss to the Kansas City Current. Rodman’s back injury flared up again at CPKC Stadium, causing her to be in excruciating discomfort and requiring a wheelchair to get back to the Spirit bench.

On the other hand, Giraldez subsequently claimed that Krueger was pulled at halfway due to an adductor injury after making an uncomfortable landing following a tackle in the first half. Both players haven’t played for the Spirit in the last two games, but they started taking part in restricted drills at Washington’s training sessions last week.

Washington Spirit will host the home quarterfinals at Audi Field this November

The Washington Spirit on Thursday welcomed home for an NWSL Playoff quarterfinal match in 2024 as they take on the Dayton Dutch Lion. This is the first time the Spirit has made the NWSL playoffs in two years, and it will be their third playoff appearance in four years since the club was established in 2012.

“The electric atmosphere created by our fans here in DC continues to provide us with an important home field advantage,” said Head Coach Jonatan Giráldez. “We’re thrilled to have at least one playoff match at Audi Field this year as we work toward another championship for this club.”

The Spirit’s last playoff match at home was the 2021 quarterfinals when it faced North Carolina Courage in Audi Field’s first-ever NWSL playoff game. First-year NWSL Golden Boot winner Ashley Hatch scored in extra time to give Washington a thrilling 1-0 win over the Courage and help the team gain its first NWSL championship in franchise history.

The Spirit, led by career bests for goals scored (8) and assists (6) from rising star Trinity Rodman, has enjoyed a Renaissance this year with a record of 15-6-2 (47 points)—the club’s second best since it announced its founding back in 2012. They are currently in third place on the NWSL table, and this year has seen multiple records fall as a result of their success in Ws (15), Pts (47), and GF (44).

The 2024 NWSL Playoffs will first swing into action the second weekend of November, with 8 teams in quarterfinal action. Then on the following weekend come four more matches as semifinal action begins. The 2024 NWSL Championship takes place at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City on Saturday, November 23, and will be the first purpose-built professional women’s soccer stadium in the world.

Currently, the Washington Spirit are preparing for their last regular-season game of 2024 against Racing Louisville FC on Sunday, October 13th. The possible returns of Rodman and Krueger were really good news for Spirit and fans. What are your thoughts on this?