ORLANDO — Gotham FC snapped its four-match winless skid and got back on track in the playoff race Friday night, defeating the Orlando Pride 2-0 at Inter&Co Stadium behind goals from Esther González and Jaelin Howell.
The result not only avenged a home defeat to the defending champions earlier this season but also restored momentum in Gotham’s playoff push.
Gotham opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a sweeping team move down the right flank. Bruninha linked up with Gabi Portilho, who combined with Rose Lavelle before the midfielder slipped a through ball to González on the edge of the box. The Spanish forward faked a shot, cut to her left, and then lofted a strike into the top-right corner for her league-leading 12th goal of the season.
That finish put González one goal clear in the NWSL Golden Boot race and within five of matching Sam Kerr’s single-season club record of 17. Gotham is now (14-2-2), dating back to 2023 in matches where González finds the net.
Just before halftime, Gotham doubled its lead in emphatic fashion. Geyse’s shot was blocked into the air, but the ball dropped perfectly for Howell, who hammered a left-footed volley from 20 yards into the bottom corner. The goal—her second of the season—instantly drew “goal of the year” buzz and gave Gotham breathing room heading into the break.
From there, goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger took over. The German international notched her seventh clean sheet of the year and 15th in a Gotham shirt, a new club record. Berger finished with three saves and three clearances to keep Orlando off the board.
It was also a night of milestones for Gotham. Lavelle, wearing the captain’s armband for the first time in her NWSL career, registered her first assist of the season on González’s opener. Rookie Josefine Hasbo earned her first league start and impressed in midfield.
Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós praised his side’s resilience after the win.
“This group of players really deserves something like that tonight,” Amorós said. “You don’t get the results you want sometimes, but to come here, play our way and finish chances—it’s massive for us.”
Howell echoed that sentiment after her stunning strike.
“It’s no secret—we needed that win, and we knew it,” Howell said. “It showed a lot of character to get three points in tough conditions. The goal came from great team play—I just took a swing at it and was happy to see it go in.”
González on the significance of the victory following a difficult run of form.
“We worked hard with our mentality, and together we came as a team,” she said. “We know that we have the quality of players. It’s just working on that mental game.”
For Hasbo, the night carried personal significance.
“It felt incredible,” the Danish midfielder said of her first NWSL start. “I’ve been working hard day in and day out at the club to showcase my best performance, and getting this opportunity was very special. Most importantly, it was a great team performance. I’m so proud of how the team helped me find my rhythm. We connected really well in the first half, and in the second half we showed our defensive strength.”
The win moved Gotham to (6-6-6, 24 points), keeping them firmly in the playoff chase and restoring momentum after a difficult stretch.
