Gotham FC’s 2025 NWSL regular season ended on a dramatic and frustrating note Sunday, with a 3-2 loss to the North Carolina Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park. The result dropped the Bats to eighth place, setting up a road matchup against top-seeded Kansas City in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. The date and time of the opener will be announced.
The Courage seized control early in rainy conditions. Meredith Speck opened the scoring in the 14th minute, and just two minutes later, a turnover by Gotham defender Jess Carter led directly to North Carolina’s second goal. Early in the second half, a ball ricocheted off Carter and into the net, resulting in a 3-0 lead for the Courage and putting Gotham in a steep deficit.
The Bats fought back in the final 20 minutes behind the efforts of substitutes Bruninha, Sofia Cook, Gabi Portilho and Lilly Reale. Cook, Portilho and Reale each recorded two shots, with Cook narrowly missing a spectacular individual run through multiple defenders. Portilho drew a penalty in the 85th minute, which Rose Lavelle converted for her fifth goal of the season. Portilho added a second goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time, marking her third of the campaign and first since September 7 against Angel City. Forward Katie Stengel recorded her first assist of the regular season on Portilho’s late goal, but Gotham could not fully overcome the deficit.
Even in defeat, the match featured notable milestones for Gotham players. Defender Emily Sonnett set a new club record with her 26th regular season start, surpassing her 2024 mark. Sonnett and Lilly Reale became the third and fourth players in Gotham history to appear in all 26 regular season matches, joining Delanie Sheehan and Jenna Nighswonger. Defender Mandy Freeman tied Erica Skroski for the second-most starts in club history with 91, while goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger made her 46th start, passing Brittany Cameron for the second-most appearances by a Gotham goalkeeper.
HEAD COACH JUAN CARLOS AMORÓS
On Sunday’s match:
“For us, the game was definitely one of two halves. The first 20 minutes – that’s not who we are. We weren’t ourselves. We weren’t pressing well, we weren’t good on the ball, and we got punished on something we knew they could do. Then a lapse in concentration put us 2–0 down, and it was difficult to come back from that.”
“From around the 25th or 30th minute of the first half, we started to look more like ourselves, and the second half was who we want to be. We conceded early, but we started tremendously well after that. The players who came off the bench – Gabi, Bruninha, Lilly – were fantastic. They all added to the team, and that’s what we need. Unfortunately, we fell short. A draw would’ve felt very different.”
On facing the Kansas City Current in the playoffs:
“It’s where our position in the table has put us. We’re deservingly there; that’s where we finished after 26 games. Kansas City is a great team, but I believe we are too. We’re going to go there, and I completely back my players and staff to achieve something that hasn’t been done in a very long time. We’re prepared for that moment now. We’re going to give absolutely everything we have, and I truly believe these players are ready to achieve what some might see as impossible.”
MIDFIELDER ROSE LAVELLE
On Sunday’s match:
“Obviously, it was a slow start, not the way we want to open a game. We came out better in the second half, but we know we still have another level. We dug ourselves into a hole and pulled one back, but it was too little, too late.”
On facing the Kansas City Current and preparing for the playoffs:
“Playoffs are like a whole new season, so it doesn’t matter what anyone’s done up to this point, ourselves included. You go into the playoffs with a fresh slate. Kansas City is a great team and has had an incredible season, so we have to start strong from the beginning. We know they’re very good in transition, so we’ll have to be switched on. We’ll use this week to prepare; it’s going to be a tough matchup.”
It wasn’t the Decision Day ending Gotham hoped for, but the Bats’ story isn’t finished. A playoff trip to Kansas City now awaits. A chance to reset, respond, and prove themselves when it matters most. The playoff stage presents a fresh opportunity to extend their season and make a deep run despite a turbulent finish to the regular season campaign.
