The Washington Spirit, owned by Korean American businesswoman Y. Michele Kang clinched their spot in the NWSL Championship after a dramatic penalty shootout victory against reigning champions NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury secured the win after saving all three penalties she faced after a hard-fought 1-1 draw through 120 minutes. Kingsbury’s clutch performance in the shootout ignited the sold-out crowd of over 19,000 at Audi Field.
Kang became the first woman of color to own an NWSL team after purchasing a majority stake in the Spirit in 2022. The Spirit is set to face the Orlando Pride for the championship match on Nov. 23, marking the team’s second final appearance since their 2021 title win.
