Trinity Rodman continued her outstanding 2024 on Saturday, scoring a stunning solo goal and assisting a stoppage-time winner for the Washington Spirit to provide the perfect start for new investor Magic Johnson.
Rodman got the more than 14,000 fans at Audi Field on their feet with a 60th-minute equalizer against the visiting Portland Thorns.
The forward burst into the penalty area before cutting inside two defenders and finding the bottom corner of the net before running to the sideline to hit a slam dunk celebration in front of Johnson and the team’s principal owner Michele Kang.
The effort canceled out Hina Sugita‘s opening goal early in the second half.
But there was still more to come from Rodman, who scored three goals to help the U.S. women’s national team win Olympic gold last month and was nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award earlier this week.
In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Rodman, 22, brilliantly beat her marker down the right and sent in a perfect cross for Leicy Santos to head home the winning goal and spark more jubilant scenes.
Former Los Angeles Lakers star Johnson was again among those toasting Rodman’s magic.
The 65-year-old’s investment in the Spirit was announced on Thursday, with Johnson saying he was “excited to join the…
