Claudia Martínez's Late Winner at Seattle Extends Washington Spirit's Win Streak to Five

For 82 minutes at Lumen Field, the Seattle Reign did almost everything right. They had more of the ball, more shots and more crosses, and they held a Washington team riding a four-match winning streak to a single shot on target. Then Gabrielle Carle bent a cross through traffic, Claudia Martínez hit it first time, and the Washington Spirit did what good teams do.

Washington beat Seattle 1-0 on Sunday evening in front of 7,597 fans, with Martínez's 83rd-minute finish into the bottom right corner deciding a tight, physical game. It was the Spirit's fifth straight win, which the club says ties its record for consecutive regular season victories. Seattle, meanwhile, has now gone four straight matches without scoring.

Seattle Sets the Tone

The Reign started on the front foot. Maddie Mercado had a shot blocked from the middle of the box in the fourth minute, and Seattle kept probing down the flanks, with Nérilia Mondésir supplying a steady stream of service from the right. Maddie Dahlien headed wide off a corner in the 25th minute, Ainsley McCammon followed with an effort from a tight angle that slid just past the post, and Mia Fishel had a shot blocked a minute later.

Washington's first half was mostly about survival and the occasional counter. Leicy Santos had a long-range attempt blocked in the 11th minute, Trinity Rodman spun into space and fired wide in the 30th, and Santos and Kate Wiesner both missed the target in the 40th. Rodman tried again from distance in the 43rd and sent it high and wide. Rebeca Bernal was booked for a bad foul in the 36th. Neither side put a shot on target before halftime, and the teams went in at 0-0 after zero minutes of added time.

Two Subs Change the Math

Washington made a double change at the break, sending on Martínez and Paige Metayer for Rosemonde Kouassi and Wiesner. Seattle did not care at first. Mondésir forced Sandy MacIver into a save with a header in the 54th minute, Mercado had two shots blocked in the 57th, and MacIver dove to stop another Mercado header at the bottom left corner in the 64th. Those were Seattle's best chances, and MacIver had an answer for both headers.

Lucia Di Guglielmo came on for Rodman in the 56th minute, and Hal Hershfelt fired over from distance in the 63rd. Andi Sullivan and Gift Monday followed in the 67th. Mondésir and Esme Morgan picked up yellow cards in the 65th and 72nd, and Sofia Huerta sent a free kick over in the 73rd. The game was getting stretched and testy.

The Turning Point

Washington finally landed a shot on target in the 81st minute, when Metayer let fly from the middle of the box and Claudia Dickey saved. Two minutes later, the Spirit built the winner. Per the Spirit, Sullivan fed Metayer, and Metayer released Carle on the flank. Carle's cross threaded past bodies to Martínez, who finished first time with her right foot.

It was the definition of a bench goal, with three substitutes involved: Sullivan from the 67th minute, and Metayer and Martínez from halftime. Seattle threw on fresh legs, and Dahlien forced MacIver into one more save in the 86th minute, but the Reign never found the equalizer.

The Difference Makers

Claudia Martínez needed one shot, came off the bench at halftime and decided the match. The Spirit's own recap called her a standout newcomer, and it is hard to argue.

Gabrielle Carle played the full match at right back and delivered the assist.

Sandy MacIver made all three of her saves in the second half and earned the clean sheet, which the Spirit said was their fifth of the season.

For Seattle, Maddie Mercado led all players with five shots, one of them on target, and Nérilia Mondésir was the Reign's most dangerous creator from wide. Claudia Dickey made one save and had little chance on the goal.

By the Numbers

• Shots: Seattle 12, Washington 8.
• Shots on target: Seattle 3, Washington 2.
• Possession: Seattle 53 percent, Washington 47.
• Crosses: Seattle attempted 23 and completed nine. Washington tried eight.
• Blocked shots: Seattle had six attempts blocked.

Where Both Sides Stand

Washington improves to five wins, three draws and one loss with 18 points, and the Spirit's recap said they sit second, a point off first place. After losing their opener to Portland on March 13, the Spirit are unbeaten in eight, with five straight wins over Bay FC, Kansas City, Racing Louisville FC, Orlando and now Seattle. Next is a trip to San Diego Wave FC on Friday, May 15, the second stop on a four-match road stretch.

Seattle drops to three wins, two draws and three losses with 11 points. The Reign have not scored since a 2-1 win over Racing Louisville FC on March 28, with four straight scoreless matches: a 0-0 draw with Denver, a 3-0 loss to Utah, a 0-0 draw at Houston and this one. There were milestones: the club said head coach Laura Harvey reached 300 career NWSL matches across all competitions, the first head coach in league history to do it, and 20-year-old Emeri Adames became the youngest player in club history to make 50 NWSL regular season appearances, and the third-youngest in league history behind Olivia Moultrie and Kennedy Fuller. The Reign have also fielded a different starting lineup in each of their eight matches, according to the club, with six players starting every one. Seattle hosts Gotham FC on Friday, May 15.

The Final Word

This was a reminder that dominating the stat sheet and dominating the scoreboard are two different hobbies. Seattle did the first. Washington, with a bench deep enough to make most of the league jealous, did the second. Five straight wins is no fluke, and the Spirit are starting to look like a team that knows exactly how this story ends.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Additional details as reported by WashingtonSpirit.com and Reign FC's official match recap. Neither club's written recap included postgame quotes.