Trinity Rodman continued her excellent 2024 on Saturday, scoring a shocking solo purpose and aiding a stoppage-time winner for the Washington Spirit to offer the proper begin for new investor Magic Johnson.
Rodman bought the greater than 14,000 followers at Audi Area on their toes with a Sixtieth-minute equalizer towards the visiting Portland Thorns.
The ahead burst into the penalty space earlier than slicing inside two defenders and discovering the underside nook of the web earlier than working to the sideline to hit a slam dunk celebration in entrance of Johnson and the workforce’s principal proprietor Michele Kang.
The trouble canceled out Hina Sugita‘s opening purpose early within the second half.
However there was nonetheless extra to return from Rodman, who scored three objectives to assist the U.S. girls’s nationwide workforce win Olympic gold final month and was nominated for the distinguished Ballon d’Or award earlier this week.
Within the sixth minute of stoppage time, Rodman, 22, brilliantly beat her marker down the suitable and despatched in an ideal cross for Leicy Santos to move house the profitable purpose and spark extra jubilant scenes.
Former Los Angeles Lakers star Johnson was once more amongst these toasting Rodman’s magic.
“I had an superior time at my first Washington Spirit sport!” Johnson wrote in a while X. “Our fanbase is unbelievable and shoutout to our unbelievable gamers for getting an thrilling 2-1 win over Portland!
I need to thank my accomplice and Washington Spirit majority proprietor Michele Kang for permitting me to be an investor and be a part of this primary class group. I am excited for all that’s to return!”
The 65-year-old’s funding within the Spirit was introduced on Thursday, with Johnson saying he was “excited to affix the Washington Spirit’s investor group at such a pivotal time within the membership’s historical past.”
Saturday’s 2-1 win maintained the Spirit’s agency maintain on second place within the NWSL standings, with seven video games of the common season remaining.
Rodman, the daughter of former NBA star Dennis Rodman, now has seven objectives and 5 assists within the NWSL this season.
