Gotham FC just pulled off what seemed nearly impossible at the end of the regular season. The New York/New Jersey-based team entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed, only clinching their spot at the last minute. Now, they've hoisted the NWSL Championship trophy for the second time in three years with a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit.
Midfielder Rose Lavelle sealed the deal for Gotham with a goal in the 80th minute and was aptly named the game's MVP as a result. She also scored in Gotham's last Finals victory in 2023, but on the other side in a losing effort as a member of the Seattle Reign. This time, Lavelle was able to play hero to cap off Gotham's Cinderella run.
“We've had a roller coaster of a year, so I think to get this [championship win] is the icing on the cake,” Lavelle told ESPN's Futbol W.
“We know we had a lot of talent, and so I think we really leaned on that this playoff series, and I think that's what we saw. That's what ended up helping us win,” Lavelle added post-match.
Gotham made history as the first eighth seed to claim the title, beating top seeds in the KC Current and 2024 champion Orlando Pride to overcome the “underdog” narrative that had been applied to them throughout the postseason.
“We know that we underperformed during the season,” Lavelle said. “But with that being said, we know the talent that we have in the locker room, and we knew [that] when we bring our best, the sky's the limit. We can do so much with this group. So I think we really leaned on that during this playoff run, and it worked out. We have such a special group, and I'm so excited to be able to win this with them.”
Head coach Juan Carlos Amoros became just the third manager in NWSL history to win multiple league championships, and he expressed a range of emotions after his squad secured the title.
“I think it's a dream come true,” Amoros said. “That's what we work so hard for. At the end of the day, I'm just a guy who loves football from a neighborhood in Madrid, and I'm here celebrating with some of the best players in the world.”
Amoros used the term “magic” to describe his team's abilities only a day before, and he made it clear that was still how he felt after the final whistle.
“Once we really couldn't win the Shield, honestly, in America, you win the Shield, or you get to the playoffs. There is no in between,” Amoros added. “You need to make sure that you get to that place, and we knew getting to that place, we knew how to win together.”
Amoros added, “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.”
