Emina Ekic scores free kick in stoppage time to send Zephyr over DC Power 3-2

Spokane Zephyr star Emina Ekic converted the clinching goal on a free-kick opportunity during the late stages of stoppage time, lifting her club to a 3-2 USL Super League victory over visiting DC Power on a cold, blustery Saturday afternoon at ONE Spokane Stadium.

Ekic drew a foul near the top-right corner of the penalty area about three minutes into added time, and the striker liked her scoring chances when she lined up for the kick.

“It was in my sweet spot,” said Ekic, who also scored on a penalty kick earlier in the match. “They put a lot (of defenders) in the wall, and I knew the goalkeeper couldn’t see the ball until the last second. … I was just trying to hit it low and hard so it would go against the wind.”

Ekic delivered a perfect strike, sending the shot just over the wall of defenders and curving the ball into the left side of the goal, just past the outstretched arm of DC keeper Adelaide Gay.

“I just love that she calls her own number and has the courage to do that,” Zephyr coach Jo Johnson said of Ekic, the club’s leading scorer on the season. “I saw (an advantage on the free kick) and she’s obviously a quality player, so she saw it, too. … The technical finish – that’s what she brings. She’s that type of finisher.”

After Ekic was mobbed in celebration by her teammates, the Zephyr (4-7-6) made one more defensive stop to seal their second win of the spring half of their inaugural season. Spokane, which bounced back from last weekend’s home loss to Carolina Ascent, also jumped up a spot in the USL Super League standings, moving to sixth place.

“(The win) is massive, and winning the game at the end is exhilarating,” Ekic said. “We worked all week. We were combative, competitive – we got into arguments. This meant a lot to everyone. We wanted to win at home.

“We know we can’t drop points based on where we are on the table. We have to get as many as we can. We want to reach the playoffs, so this has been a big relief. Hopefully, the floodgates are open for the remainder of the season.”

Spokane, which recorded three goals in a match for the first time, tied the score at 2 in the 65th minute on a penalty kick from Ekic, who made a strong challenge in the goalie box and had no trouble on the free attempt. Ekic’s goal came two minutes after DC Power (3-9-5) had taken the lead on an impressive strike from Gianna Gourley, who connected on a tough, running shot from the top-left corner of the penalty area.

“We came together as a collective,” Ekic said when asked about the team’s response. “There was a lot of adaptability on the field and communication from the sidelines. It took all of us today.”

Spokane’s Katie Murray contributed a goal in the 36th minute for her second score in as many matches.

The midfielder got a handle on Emma Jaskaniec’s pass at the top of the penalty area, turned quickly and launched a shot toward the left side of the net. The ball ricocheted off the left post and bounced in.

“I’m trying to be more intentional, having the green light to take these shots,” Murray said. “I just needed a little bit of a gap.”

DC Power tied things up in the 50th minute after Spokane goalkeeper Hope Hisey deflected a shot attempt to trailing forward Anna Bagley, who had a clear shot from just a few yards away.

But the Zephyr controlled the pace of the match for most of the second half and stayed aggressive on offense, peppering DC’s defense with shot attempts and corner kicks. Spokane had possession for 56% of the match, outshot DC 13-12 and had eight corner kicks compared to three for the visitors.

Coming off its best offensive showing of the season, Spokane will play its next two matches on the road, starting with a 4 p.m. contest Wednesday at Tampa Bay (Florida).

“To bury three (goals), that gives us confidence,” Johnson said. “We’ve been hammering in the attacking third. Obviously, we gotta clean up some stuff and not give away goals, but I think three goals is almost more important to me than the three points, because that’s been our Achilles’ heel. Going into the next one, especially on the road … I think that’ll help us.”