Gotham FC win NWSL Championship with second-half strike from Rose Lavelle

Gotham FC is once again the reigning NWSL champions.

The No. 8 seed ended the year fittingly with another major upset, topping No. 2 seed Washington Spirit in regular time with a confident 1-0 win over their East Coast rival. Gotham lifted the trophy thanks to a moment of brilliance from midfielder Rose Lavelle, who once again proved why she is one of Gotham’s biggest threats up top.

Lavelle found the back of the net in the 80th minute, capitalizing on a fantastic set-up from teammate Bruninha, who entered the match as a second-half sub for rookie of the year Lilly Reale.

“Bru served it on a platter,” Lavelle told the CBS broadcast after the game. “All I had to do was tuck it away.”

This is Gotham’s second championship in three seasons. Gotham defeated No. 1 Kansas City Current in a shocking result that send the NWSL Shield winners home in the quarterfinal. They then went on to defeat No. 4 Orlando Pride in Florida before the win on Saturday.

“We know we didn’t perform to our potential during the season,” Lavelle said. “I think this playoffs is about showing to ourselves, most of all, what we can do.”

The first half felt like a master class in defensive ability. Both teams effectively shut down their opponent’s biggest attacking threats, limiting their chances up top. The Spirit ended the first 45 with zero shots on target, highlighted by 21-year-old star Jaedyn Shaw, but the Spirit’s backline, anchored by NWSL defender of the year Tara McKeown, proved too tough for them to break through.

The Spirit started the second half on the front foot, cranking up the heat in their attacking third and regaining their composure. Forward Rosemande Kouassi carried her momentum from her dominant form in the post-season, with Croix Bethune seemingly out for revenge after missing last year’s championships due to injury. Spirit forward Trinity Rodman made her expected return, though surprisingly early for a player who only recently returned from injury, subbing on for teammate Sofia Cantore in the 57th minute.

But all it took was that moment of brilliance from Lavelle to turn this championship around.

The two sides are familiar foes, with last year’s semifinal clash ending in the Spirit’s favor following a tense round of penalty kicks.

The Spirit coasted to the NWSL Championships with their confident 2-0 win over Portland Thorns last week, featuring what players described as their best soccer yet.

Shaw, who joined the team in September, was traded to Gotham from North Carolina Courage in what will be remembered as one of the biggest trades of 2025, as she helped carry her new club through multiple victories.

Lavelle, who secured her first NWSL Championship title with the win, was also the games MVP.

“This is such a special group,” Lavelle told CBS. “We’ve had such a tough season, and I think this was just the most special way to top it off. I think we couldn’t have done it without every single person, like, top to bottom. It’s just been so amazing. So this is just the icing on the cake.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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