HARRISON — Gotham FC continued its late-season surge with a commanding 3-0 win over the Portland Thorns on Friday night at Sports Illustrated Stadium, extending its unbeaten run across all competitions to nine matches. The victory pushed Gotham (9-6-7, 34 points) closer to the top of the NWSL table, now just three points back of Washington for second place.
The tone was set early. In the 10th minute, defender Mandy Freeman whipped in a precise cross that met the head of Midge Purce, who darted between two defenders to nod the ball into the bottom left corner. The goal not only gave Gotham a 1-0 lead but also carried individual significance for Purce — her first regular-season tally since October 2023 and her 17th for the club, moving her into third place on Gotham’s all-time scoring list and making her the team’s top American scorer in league play.
As halftime approached, Gotham doubled its advantage with a fluid move through midfield. Emily Sonnett’s ball recovery found Josefine Hasbo, who linked up with Jaedyn Shaw before Shaw slipped a pass to Rose Lavelle. The U.S. international kept her composure and fired a low strike past Portland goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold for her third goal in the last four league matches, giving Gotham a 2-0 cushion. The goal also marked Lavelle’s fifth direct goal contribution in as many NWSL games.
The Bats put the result beyond doubt in the 73rd minute with arguably the highlight of the night. Katie Stengel carried the ball down the left flank before feeding Lavelle, who produced a deft backheel into space. Stengel burst forward to meet the return pass and finished calmly into the bottom right corner for her first league goal since returning to Gotham — and her first in NWSL play since November 2023.
While the attack grabbed the headlines, Gotham’s defense quietly rewrote the record books. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger recorded her ninth clean sheet of the season, setting a new club record while also becoming just the 13th goalkeeper in league history to reach 25 wins with one club. The clean sheet was Gotham’s 10th of the year, also a single season best.
The win capped another milestone night for Gotham. It was the sixth time this season the team scored three or more goals in league play, and the club’s 18th first-half goal of the campaign — a mark bettered only by Kansas City and Washington. Gotham also improved to (7-1-3) when scoring first in NWSL action this year, underscoring its ability to dictate games when striking early.
Head Coach Juan Carlos Amorós
“Today I’m extremely happy and proud of the players and the staff because they’ve worked so hard all year against a lot of different difficulties we’ve been facing. They’ve stayed focused on the job, making sure they need to be better, working with us, the coaches, to solve certain situations, and helping in the adaptation of new teammates. Everyone has been pushing and pushing… I think they put it into action tonight. I was very proud and happy, and they really deserve it.”
Forward Midge Purce
“It was really good to get a win at home and even better to have our team under that kind of pressure. We were fighting to secure that third-place spot. It’s good to get a win when we really need it at the end of the year. I’m really proud of the team. We’ve always been kind of a second-half-of-the-year team, and I think we’re starting to cook now.”
On finally getting back on the scoresheet:
“It’s just great to finally get a goal. I’m sometimes expected to assist, and I wanted those, too, today. But I love this game, and it’s good when it loves you back.”
Midfielder Rose Lavelle
On how it feels when everything is clicking:
“It feels good. I think, collectively as a team, it felt really good on both ends of the ball, which I think wasn’t the case the past two games. So, to be able to come out and put on that performance at home was really cool and special and gives us a lot of confidence and momentum.”
On scoring again and adjusting to life in New York/New Jersey:
“I think it’s been so fun being in New York, New Jersey. I have so many great players around me that it’s been really fun — not just playing in the games, but in training. You think of the level that you get to compete against every single day, and I think that pushes us all to be at our best.”
With four games left in the regular season, Gotham’s emphatic win not only strengthened its playoff positioning but also sent a message to the rest of the league. The Bats are finding their stride at just the right time, blending defensive solidity with attacking flair as the season reaches its final stretch.
