Lavelle's Late Strike Delivers NWSL Championship to Gotham FC
Key Takeaways
- Gift Monday finds the back of the net
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Rose Lavelle's 80th-minute strike lifted Gotham FC to a 1-0 victory over Washington Spirit in the NWSL Championship on Saturday night at PayPal Park, delivering the club's first league title in front of 18,000 fans.
The championship-deciding goal came from Lavelle's left foot, as the U.S. international collected a pass from Bruninha and drove a shot from outside the box into the bottom left corner, beating Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury. The strike capped a tense, physical encounter between two evenly matched sides and sent Gotham's bench erupting in celebration with just 10 minutes remaining in regulation.
Washington Spirit pushed desperately for an equalizer in the closing stages, but Gotham's defense held firm to secure the title. The Spirit's best chance came in stoppage time when Paige Metayer's effort from the center of the box sailed wide left in the 90+3 minute, assisted by Gift Monday following a set piece.
The first half ended scoreless despite both teams creating opportunities. Washington's Gift Monday headed wide from close range in the 18th minute after a Kate Wiesner cross, while Gotham's Jaedyn Shaw forced a save from Kingsbury with a shot from distance in the sixth minute. Neither side managed to establish sustained dominance, with the midfield battle proving decisive in keeping the match deadlocked through 45 minutes.
The physical nature of the championship final manifested in the card count, with Gotham's Lilly Reale receiving a yellow card in first-half stoppage time (45+3) for a foul on Washington's Rosemonde Kouassi. Bruninha, who provided the assist on the winning goal, was also cautioned in the 90+3 minute for a foul on Trinity Rodman.
Washington made tactical adjustments in the second half, bringing on Trinity Rodman for Sofia Cantore in the 57th minute and later introducing Paige Metayer for Kate Wiesner in the 90th minute. The Spirit also lost Hal Hershfelt to injury, replaced by Deborah Abiodun in the 81st minute. Gotham countered with a single substitution, inserting Bruninha for Lilly Reale in the 63rd minute.
The match featured multiple stoppages for injuries, including delays for Hal Hershfelt (73rd minute), Sarah Schupansky (36th minute), Rose Lavelle (8th minute), and Trinity Rodman (90+6 minute), though all players were able to continue or were substituted off.
Gotham's defensive unit, anchored by Emily Sonnett, Jess Carter, and Mandy Freeman, successfully protected Lavelle's goal through eight minutes of stoppage time to claim the club's first NWSL Championship. The victory marks a historic achievement for Gotham FC and validates their season-long pursuit of the league title.