Clara Luvanga Late Winner Lifts Washington Spirit Past Houston Dash 3-2, Spoils Miljana Ivanovic Brace

Clara Luvanga was playing just her second match for the Washington Spirit. In the 84th minute in Houston, with the score tied at 2-2, Claudia Martínez slipped her into the box on the break, and Luvanga beat Jane Campbell low into the bottom left corner. Just like that, the newcomer was the hero.

That goal gave the Spirit a 3-2 win over the Houston Dash on Sunday night at Shell Energy Stadium, spoiling a two-goal night from Miljana Ivanovic. Tara Rudd and Sofia Cantore also scored for Washington, which twice watched a lead disappear before Luvanga's late strike. For Houston, the loss carried a heavy price: the Dash said the result eliminated them from postseason contention.

Washington's First-Half Siege

The Spirit came out like they were trying to end it by halftime. Andi Sullivan forced Campbell into a save with a header in the 10th minute, and Washington won three corners in quick succession. On the last of them, Esme Morgan swung in the delivery and Rudd headed it home from point-blank range in the 11th minute. Per the Spirit, it was her third goal of the season and her second with her head.

What followed was a shooting gallery. Washington held 66 percent of the ball through the opening 15 minutes, according to the club, and fired away from every angle. Shots from Mélissa Bethi, Cantore, Gabrielle Carle and Trinity Rodman were all blocked between the 19th and 23rd minutes. Campbell stopped Ashley Hatch from close range in the 34th, Rodman in the 40th and Lucia Di Guglielmo in the 41st.

Then Houston did what teams under siege sometimes do. In the 44th minute, Ivanovic gathered the ball at the top of the box and drove a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner. It was her first NWSL goal, and the Dash said it made her the first Serbian player to score in league play. It was 1-1 at the break, and the Spirit had to be wondering how.

A Second-Half Seesaw

Washington restored the lead six minutes into the second half. Rodman slid a through ball to Cantore, who got the timing of her run just right and finished into the bottom right corner. The goal was Cantore's 10th in the regular season for the Spirit, and the club noted she is only the third player on the current roster to reach that mark, after Rodman and Hatch.

Houston answered again. Sarah Puntigam forced a diving save from Sandy MacIver in the 58th minute, the ball went out for a corner, and Ivanovic pounced in the box a minute later, firing a left-footed shot into the top right corner. Per the Dash, she became the first player in club history to score her first two goals in a single game.

Both coaches went to their benches. Washington sent on Luvanga, Rosemonde Kouassi and Monique Ngock in the 66th minute, with Luvanga replacing Bethi because of an injury, and Martínez came on for Hatch in the 77th. Houston brought on Clarissa Larisey for Ivanovic in the 70th.

The final 10 minutes were bonkers. In the 79th, Campbell denied Rodman from a tight angle on the left. A minute later, Larisey's header crashed off the crossbar at the other end. And four minutes after that, Martínez found Luvanga, and the Spirit were back in front for good. MacIver still had to make two stoppage-time saves, including one on a long-range effort from Paige Nielsen in the final minute.

The Stars

Rodman was everywhere, with seven shots, two on target and the assist on Cantore's goal. Rudd took four shots and scored one, and Cantore added a goal from four attempts of her own. Luvanga needed only one shot to change the night, and Martínez's assist came seven minutes after she entered.

For Houston, Ivanovic was perfect: two shots, two goals. Campbell made five saves, and the stop on Rodman in the 79th minute was historic. According to the Dash, it was her 114th save of the season, breaking her own league record for saves in a single season, which had stood at 113. MacIver finished with four saves for Washington.

The Turning Point

Larisey's header off the bar in the 80th minute. Houston had come from behind twice, and a third goal there would have handed the Dash their first lead of the night. Instead, the crossbar kept it level, and Washington scored on its next real opportunity. Margins do not get much thinner than that.

Stats That Matter

• Shots: Washington 25, Houston 13. On target: 8 to 6.
• Possession: Washington 60 percent, Houston 40 percent.
• Corners: Washington earned 11, Houston seven, and the opening goal came from one.
• Crosses: Washington attempted 29 and completed 11.
• Saves: Campbell made five, MacIver four.

What It Means

Washington moved to 15-4-8 (wins, draws, losses) with 49 points, its 15th win of the season, and bounced back from a 1-0 home loss to Angel City FC in its previous match. According to the Spirit, the result moved the club to the brink of a third straight playoff berth, nine points above the playoff line and five points above the line for hosting a quarterfinal, with three matches to play. It also completed a season sweep of Houston after a 2-1 home win in July. Next up is Gotham FC at Audi Field after the international break.

Houston fell to 8-6-13 with 30 points. The Dash had taken four points from their previous two matches, a win at Boston Legacy FC and a draw at the Portland Thorns, but this defeat ended their playoff hopes. They return after the break to host the Orlando Pride.

Closing Take

Rodman spent the night playing Whac-A-Mole with Campbell and lost most rounds. Washington kept swinging anyway, and in the end the newest player on the roster delivered the last word. That is the kind of depth that separates playoff teams from teams watching from home in November.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Match notes as reported by the Washington Spirit and the Houston Dash.