Rose Lavelle leads Gotham FC to second NWSL Championship title in three years
The Cardiac Kids from Gotham FC had one final arrow in their quiver.
Rose Lavelle’s magical left foot curled in a shot from the edge of the box in the 80th minute to deliver a 1-0 win over archrival Washington Spirit and Gotham FC’s second NWSL Championship title in three years.
The win completed the sequel of Gotham’s 2023 NWSL Championship run – both teams were the lowest seed in the NWSL Playoffs before winning three straight games on the way to claiming the trophy in the world’s most competitive league. This time, Gotham scored the latest game-winner in NWSL playoff history, the latest game-winner in regulation in NWSL playoff history and the latest game-winner in NWSL Championship history in its three wins.
The victory also sealed Gotham’s second major trophy this year after the New Jersey/New York club claimed the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup continental title in May.
“Every winner is special,” said Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós, who won his third trophy with the club. “We worked so hard for this moment. To become a champion is the moment the referee blows the whistle. Until that moment, you’re trying to be a champion and then you’re a champion forever.”
Gotham FC played a measured, confident game, preventing second-seeded Washington from registering a shot on target in a performance that perfectly reflected the team’s defensive strength this year. It was the fourth shutout of the Spirit this season – and the club’s second win over its longstanding rival.
The game-winning sequence in front of a sold-out PayPal Park crowd of 18,000 unfolded in typical Gotham fashion, with a magnificent long pass from standout rookie Sarah Schupansky, a driving, tormenting dribble from Bruninha and a sublime finish from one of the best players in the world.
Lavelle was named the NWSL Championship Match MVP for her performance in the final, winning the last major trophy an American in the NWSL can add to their mantle.
“I keep saying this is such a special group,” Lavelle said on the ceremony stage after the match. “We’ve had such a tough season, and this was just the most special way to top it off. We couldn’t have done it without every single person from top to bottom. It’s been amazing. This is the icing on the cake.”
