World Cup champions Ali Krieger, Ashlyn Harris welcomed back to NWSL club
GERMANTOWN, Md. – By now, U.S. Women’s national team members Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris are used to the spotlight.
While the sold-out crowd at Saturday’s National Women’s Soccer League game between the Washington Spirit and Seattle Reign wasn’t near the 53,000 who watched Team USA conquer the world in Vancouver or the more than 25 million who tuned in to watch the World Cup final on TV, it was plenty good for Krieger.
“It puts everything in perspective for me as well,” said Krieger, a Washington-area native and Spirit co-captain. “It’s where I come from, where I grew up and it’s where I’ve played for most of my career. Just to be back here and see all my friends and my family and just to be able to give back to them and say thank you, it’s been unbelievable.”
In a ceremony held before Washington (6-4-2) beat Seattle 3-0, Krieger thanked the 5,413 fans in attendance – the most fans ever at a Spirit game and only the second sellout in franchise history – as well as her club teammates for their support during the World Cup.
"Now our focus is 100 percent here with the Spirit, 100 percent here with the NWSL,” Krieger said.
Spirit games generally draw around 3,500 fans, according to director of sales Rob Bartlett.
Krieger and Harris were in attendance but not in uniform Saturday, where spectators opted to pack into the Maryland SoccerPlex rather than watch the U.S. Men’s national team defeat Cuba in a Gold Cup quarterfinal 40 miles away in Baltimore.
Hope Solo and Megan Rapinoe, Krieger and Harris’ national teammates and members of the Seattle Reign, did not travel with their team to Maryland.
First-time attendee Courtney-Rose Dantus was one of thousands of new spectators of the NWSL in the wake of the World Cup.
“I think the energy surrounding the recent win for me as a woman is really empowering, to see women kicking butt,” Dantus said. “I think for this particular community it’s really awesome to be here and see all the people who’ve come out to support the team.”
Fans were treated to a blowout thanks to a goal each from Washington’s Amanda DaCosta, Crystal Dunn and Christine Narin.
Before the game the Spirit also honored its five other International players who competed in the World Cup. Canadian midfielder Diana Matheson assisted Dunn for the Spirit’s second goal and Australian Hayley Raso dressed for Washington as well.
The Spirit’s three players on the Nigerian national team were away playing an Olympic qualifying game and are expected to be back with the Spirit next week. Krieger and Harris will also be back with the team for a home game against Chicago on July 25.
Krieger is looking forward to getting back into club action, where she hopes to experience one of the main positives – aside from the trophy – she said came out of the World Cup win.
“We’re just going to soak it all in, I’m rallying myself and putting on a smile because I know that this doesn’t last very long. So we’re going to ride the wave. This is great for women’s football, this is great for the club, this is great for the NWSL,” Krieger said.
“We wanted to win, not only for ourselves and our families and our fans and our country, of course, and for U.S. Soccer, but to help this league survive.”
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