Utah Royals Prepare for Match Against Washington Spirit This Saturday

HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, May 16, 2025) – Utah Royals FC will face the Washington Spirit on Saturday, May 17, at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. The match is set to kick off at 5:30 p.m. MT.

Utah enters this match after a 2-0 loss to Angel City FC. The Royals’ head coach, Jimmy Coenraets, made one lineup change, starting Mina Tanaka instead of teenage player KK Ream. The Royals shifted back to their standard 4-2-3-1 formation for this game.

Midfielder Alex Loera made her debut in the last match, marking her return after recovering from an ACL injury sustained last season. Defender Lauren Flynn, who has recently returned from injury, earned another start.

This match will be the first meeting between the two clubs in the current season, following their two encounters in 2024. In March 2024, the Spirit won 2-1 at home after dominating the first half. In the return match held in Sandy, the Spirit once again emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win.

Washington Spirit is currently ranked third in the NWSL, with a record of 5-3-0 after a recent 3-2 victory over the Chicago Stars. The Spirit has scored three goals in each of their last two matches but has conceded six goals in that same period.

Fans eager to catch the action can tune in to ION for the live broadcast with commentators JP Dellacamera and Jill Loyden, or listen via KSL Sports Radio starting at 5:00 p.m. MT.

Following this weekend’s match, Utah Royals FC will return to Sandy to host the Orlando Pride on May 23 at 7:30 p.m. MT.