Gotham FC had a big week: two wins, two new arrivals and a hop up the league standings.
The defending champions are on a roll.
First, they played for 42,175 fans at Citi Field, defeating the Washington Spirit 1-0 on Rose Lavelle’s goal. It was a rematch of the 2025 NWSL title game, which Gotham also won 1-0 on a Lavelle goal.
“I think we feed off the fans’ energy, so I think knowing that this was going to be a really exciting home game, but also a big moment in history for this club and for the city, I think added like just another special element going out there,” Lavelle said postgame. “We feel so much pride getting to represent this club, and I think for this for us to be able to have this moment was really huge, and hopefully we just can keep building off of this.”
The game also marked Sam Kerr’s return to the NWSL. Kerr, who signed with Gotham late last month, subbed into the game in the 64th minute, made her return after more than six years at Chelsea.
“It’s weird, honestly,” Kerr said. “I spent most of the start of my career here, and then to go to Chelsea and be in Europe for so long, it’s just so different.”
The one thing that marred the match, which drew the biggest crowd for a women’s sporting event in NYC, was the heat and the wildfire smoke. The conditions required extra hydration breaks.
Then on Saturday, Gotham came from behind to down the Seattle Reign 3-2. Esther González scored a brace and Lavelle added the game-winner at Ichan Stadium in front of 4,738 fans.
This time, it was Denise O’Sullivan who made her Gotham debut after a stint with Liverpool. O’Sullivan was loaned to Gotham, which has an option to buy.
“I played in the NWSL for 10 years, and I think it’s the best league in the world. There are world-class players on every single team,” O’Sullivan said. “The best thing about this league is the competitiveness from top to bottom. You can’t go into any game not ready because any team can win on any given day.”
The win, the team’s fourth in their last five games, pushed Gotham into first place in the league standings — at least temporarily. A victory over Boston on Sunday moved the Spirit level on points, but with a better goal differential.
“I don’t know how you don’t have confidence. It’s part of the reason why people want to play for this club. You’re playing with the best players in the world in every single position,” Midge Purce said. “It’s hard not to have confidence when there’s world-class talent all around you.”
Gotham will be without coach Juan Carlos Amorós for the next five months. He is going on paternity leave after the birth of his daughter Laia. Assistant coach Shaun Harris will fill in.
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Soccer: Annie Peterson, @AnnieMPeterson, AP Women’s Soccer
Tennis: Joey Dillon, @JoeyDillon, Freelance Tennis Writer
Basketball: Howard Megdal, @HowardMegdal, The IX Sports
Softball: Maren Angus-Coombs, @Maren-Angus, The IX Sports
Golf: Marin Dremock, @MDremock, The IX Sports
Hockey: @TheIceGarden, The Ice Garden
Gymnastics: Jessica Taylor Price, @jesstaylorprice, Freelance Writer
