National Women’s Soccer League: Washington beats Portland 4–1

Washington Spirit beat Portland Thorns 4–1 in the National Women’s Soccer League quarterfinals. Gotham FC will play its semifinal against Kansas City Current at New York City’s Icahn Stadium rather than its usual home, Sports Illustrated Stadium, because of poor field conditions. The move follows Gotham’s 1–0 quarterfinal win over Seattle Reign FC on 8 November.

Top-seeded Gotham will face fourth-seeded Kansas City.

Icahn Stadium has 5,000 seats. Gotham control owner Carolyn Tisch Blodgett said the move would leave many fans unable to attend.

Field conditions force a move

The quarterfinal field was sandy and had visible brown patches, 18 hours after a New York Red Bulls match ended at the stadium. Both teams said the conditions affected their play: Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amoros said unpredictable bounces changed how his team played, while Seattle midfielder Jess Fishlock called the field “atrocious.” The defeat ended Fishlock’s playing career.

Seattle coach Laura Harvey acknowledged that both teams had to deal with the conditions.

Gotham rents the stadium but does not control it. The league had fined the club $10,000 for poor field conditions at its previous regular-season game. Seattle coach Laura Harvey disclosed the fine, which ESPN confirmed.

Sources told ESPN that Gotham, the league and the stadium’s primary tenant, the New York Red Bulls, discussed replacing the grass throughout Sunday night and Monday but could not agree on a workable solution.

The Red Bulls are scheduled to play a friendly against Mexico’s Club America at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Saturday night, the evening before Gotham’s semifinal.

How the semifinalists advanced