WASHINGTON (AP) — Clara Luvanga scored her second goal of the postseason in the 57th minute, capitalizing on an errant pass, and the Washington Spirit reached their fifth NWSL Championship and third straight with a 2-1 semifinal victory over the Utah Royals on Saturday. Luvanga raced onto Nuria Rábano’s ill-advised ball after it rolled past Utah center back Tatumn Milazzo, then chipped it softly over charging goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn for the winning score. It was her fourth goal in all competitions since her September transfer from Saudi club Al-Nassr. “We didn’t have too much time to work with her, but she’s doing amazing,” Washington coach Adrián González said. “Learning so quick. Knowing what the team needs from her and what this league demands.” Luvanga also played a crucial pass to create Sofia Cantore’s eighth-minute leveler for the No. 3-seeded Spirit, who will seek their second championship at home after receiving hosting rights in June. Washington, which won the 2021 title, will face either No. 1-seeded Gotham FC or the fourth-seeded KC Current, who meet in the semifinals on Sunday. “Hopefully it’s third time lucky,” Spirit goalkeeper Sandy MacIver said. “I think that we’re more motivated than ever, and the fact

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Mason Marchment flicked in a wrist shot in the fifth round of a shootout to lift the San Jose Sharks to a 6-5 win over the Utah Mammoth on Saturday night. Tyler Toffoli, Adam Gaudette, Zack Ostapchuk, Eric Pohlkamp, and Dmitry Orlov all scored goals for San Jose in regulation. Yaroslav Askarov made 27 stops for the Sharks. Zac Jones scored a pair of goals to lead Utah and Kailer Yamamoto had three assists. Mikhail Sergachev, Jack McBain, and Barrett Hayton also scored for the Mammoth. Karel Vejmelka tallied 16 saves. Jones tipped in the puck off a pass from Yamamoto on a breakaway to put Utah on the board at 2:15 of the first. The Mammoth made it 2-0 at 8:53 of the first on Sergachev’s power play goal. Toffoli countered with a close-range power play goal to help San Jose cut the deficit in half with 8:25 left in the first. Jones scored his second goal just 1:05 later to restore Utah’s two-goal lead. The Sharks erased the deficit in the second. Another power play goal at 3:07 of the second, this time from Gaudette, drew San Jose within one again. Ostapchuk tied