Late Drama Seals Championship Glory for Gotham
Gotham FC captured their second NWSL Championship in three years after Rose Lavelle's 80th-minute strike secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over rivals Washington Spirit in Saturday's final. The US international delivered when it mattered most, curling a perfect shot into the far corner to break the deadlock in a tense encounter at San Jose's PayPal Park.
The match-winning moment came after a period of Spirit indecision that saw defensive midfielder Hal Hershfelt struggle with an injury. Rather than immediately replacing the hobbled player, Washington manager Adrián González opted to play shorthanded, a decision that proved costly when Gotham launched a counter-attack through the right channel.
From World Cup Hero to Club Champion
For Lavelle, the goal echoed her decisive contribution in the 2019 World Cup final, marking another career-defining moment on the big stage. Six years after her international triumph, the playmaker finally secured her first NWSL title, having been on the losing side when Gotham claimed their first championship against Seattle Reign in 2023.
"Oh my gosh. It's so surreal," Lavelle told CBS after the final whistle, capturing the emotion of her championship-clinching contribution.
Gotham's path to this title mirrored their 2023 underdog story, with the New York/New Jersey club scraping into the playoffs as the eighth and final seed after losing their last four regular-season matches. The late-season collapse had many branding them as long shots, but summer signing Jaedyn Shaw's memorable rebuttal - "underdog, my ass" - became the team's rallying cry.
Superteam Dreams Finally Realised
The victory validates Gotham's ambitious squad building over the past 18 months. After their 2023 triumph as unexpected champions, the club embarked on a major recruitment drive, bringing in Lavelle alongside US teammates Emily Sonnett, Crystal Dunn, and Tierna Davidson during the winter transfer window.
However, the dream of immediate dominance faced obstacles throughout 2024. All four US internationals missed significant playing time and training sessions while helping the United States win Olympic gold. Even when the star-studded lineup was available, the team struggled to find consistent rhythm, eventually falling to the Spirit in the 2024 semi-finals.
This year's final lacked the home-field advantage that powered Washington's epic penalty shootout victory in that semi-final, with both teams competing at a neutral venue before a sold-out California crowd.
Spirit's Troubles Mount After Final Defeat
For Washington, the defeat compounds a challenging season filled with disruption. The Spirit faced mid-season turmoil when head coach Jonatan Giráldez departed unexpectedly in June for OL Lyonnes, another club owned by Michele Kang.
Their problems were compounded by Trinity Rodman's persistent fitness issues. The US star managed only nine starts this year due to back problems, then suffered an MCL sprain that limited her to a late substitute appearance in the final. Rodman's 55th-minute introduction provided brief hope for Washington, but she too appeared hampered by injury late in the match.
The final minutes saw Rodman collapse clutching her back after contact, adding injury concerns to existing questions about her future. With the attacker approaching free agency and European clubs circling, the Spirit face an anxious wait to see if they can retain their star player.
Washington will undoubtedly rue their hesitation in dealing with Hershfelt's injury, which directly preceded Lavelle's winner. The minute between Hershfelt's initial problem and her eventual substitution proved decisive, with Gotham exploiting the space she normally would have covered.
Gotham now joins an elite group as the NWSL's fourth two-time champion, cementing their status as a league powerhouse after years of building toward this moment. For Washington, the search for answers begins immediately as they confront Rodman's contract situation and reflect on what might have been with quicker tactical decisions.
