Colin Udoh
Nigeria international Gift Monday has welcomed the return of superstar USWNT forward Trinity Rodman, and the impact her presence has had both on the NWSL team and Washington Spirit fans.
After a four-month absence due to a persistent back injury, going all the way back to the Olympics in 2024, Rodman returned to the field for the Spirit on August 3 and instantly showed why she is such an important piece of the Washington machine, marking her comeback with a stunning goal to give the Spirit a 2-1 win over Portland.
Monday, who had opened the scoring for Washington in that Portland game before seeing her strike cancelled out by Olivier Moultrie on the stroke of halftime, was in awe of Rodman’s return.
“Not only the fact that that was the winning goal, but it was also the fact that the goal was beautiful,” Gift told ESPN of Rodman’s comeback strike. “The goal was amazing and it was scored by Trinity Rodman. I was amazed!”
The USWNT star went even better last weekend, hitting both goals as the Spirit topped Seattle Reign 2-0 to keep them second behind league leaders KC Current.
“She coming back from injury and setting a mark for everyone to see that she was never really gone, she was just waiting for this time. It was amazing for her, for us her teammates and the whole Spirit fans,” said Monday.
Rodman’s absence, along with a rash of other injuries, contributed to the team’s decision to sign Gift from Spanish club Tenerife to pick up the slack and she says she was told she would get regular minutes.
The Super Falcons player added: “Before coming down, the team told me about the situation. They were having a lot of injured players and they needed my services as soon as possible so I knew I was coming to play.
“But I did not expect to be starting. Even now, when we have almost all of the players coming back from injury I am still starting games. It’s wonderful for me and I am grateful. Coming and scoring goals has also helped me too, I guess.”
The Nigerian made an immediate impact on her arrival, scoring on her debut against Orlando Pride and going on to establish herself as a bonafide Spirit stalwart, but even she has been pleasantly surprised by the Rodman effect.
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She said: “I have not been with the team for so long but what I have come to know in my short time here is that Trinity Rodman is one of the biggest players in the NWSL and not just that, also for the Washington Spirit, so having her back has been massive for us.”
The Spirit has one of the NWSL’s most vocal fan bases, and Gift says the return of Rodman has galvanized them even more: “Sometimes you think as a player that you alone play football, but the truth is that the supporters also help you play as a team.
“Having her back helped us galvanize our supporters even more with us and it was huge. It also gives us that confidence that whoever we are facing we can win the game. Trinity being in the Spirit is a huge advantage for us and we are making use of that.”
They will need all of that this weekend when they travel to Kansas to face the league-leading Current, who hold a 14-point advantage over the second placed capital team.
Gift expects it to be a battle, against the team she considers as the biggest obstacle to the Spirit winning the title this season: “Our biggest challenge is Kansas City.
“I haven’t played against them yet, they are our biggest challenge and also they are the ones topping the league so we have to go out there and give everything.”
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Trinity Rodman scores stoppage-time winner in return from injury
Trinity Rodman gives the Spirit the lead with a goal in stoppage time in her first game back after a four-month injury absence vs. the Thorns FC.
The Nigerian has not scored since that goal in August, but says victory against the Current is more important than scoring: “Personally, it doesn’t matter whether I score or not. All that matters to me is that my team win.
“Even if I score a hat-trick and my team loses, I will not be happy. But if I score just one and my team win, that would be the biggest joy for me. So against Kansas City, we just have to win. I don’t know how, but we just have to win.”
Part of the recipe for their continued goalscoring success, Gift says, is the chemistry within the forward line, especially in practice: “I really love the combinations we have. I love the spirit, I mean, we are Spirit.
“I haven’t played much with Trin, because usually we replace each other. But the few times we have played together, especially in training, I love the understanding between us. For me, I feel like as a player, I can do more with my teammates, especially Trin and Croix Bethune.”
With the Current’s fearsome goalscoring record, the one player that Monday feels will be crucial for the Spirit is goalkeeepr Aubrey Kingsbury.
“I am always thankful to God for putting me in her team, because she saves us a lot of times. I mean, we do our part, but a lot of times, she comes up big to save us. I can see that and I am so, so grateful,” she said.
“I love the spirit she puts out there for us in the defence. I love how she makes us proud, because sometimes we might think we are losing a game and then she comes through for us. Always.
“Every time after a game, I have this urge to go and appreciate her. But each time I try to approach her, there is always someone else with her. I really want to say thank you to her. It’s difficult to find people like that. I am so happy I am her team mate.”
