Mark Parsons began his tenure as Washington Spirit head coach with a gritty 1-0 win over the OL Reign. It was a game marked by loose balls, fouls and long stoppages, one where neither side played to their full potential. There was then a 2-2 draw away to Racing Louisville, where the wind controlled the ball’s destiny almost as much as the two sets of players. Then, on Saturday night, Washington went on the road again, traveling to beat the North Carolina Courage 2-1. It was another scrappy game, a portion of which wasn’t broadcast on a strange evening overall for the National Women’s Soccer League.
Far from plain sailing for the Spirit, but they’ve come through it unscathed. Three games, two wins, one draw, no defeats. Are they playing how they want to play? Perhaps not just yet, not exactly. It’s early days, and the circumstances have been tricky. Still, there’s no doubt Parsons has made an impact on the way the team is organized, on and off the field.
