Gotham FC enters the 2025 NWSL Playoffs with a familiar underdog spirit and a belief that another deep run is possible. The eighth-seeded club will travel to CPKC Stadium on Sunday to face the top-seeded Kansas City Current in the opening round of the NWSL playoffs.
The Bats punched their ticket to the postseason in classic dramatic fashion. With its season hanging in the balance against Racing Louisville, Rose Lavelle delivered when it mattered most, curling a late free kick into the top corner to secure a 2-2 draw and the crucial point Gotham needed to clinch a postseason berth. The goal sent Sports Illustrated Stadium into celebration and sealed the club’s third consecutive playoff appearance, the longest such streak in team history.
Juan Carlos Amorós’ side finished the regular season (9-8-9, 36 points), claiming the final playoff spot after results around the league broke their way last weekend. It’s a position Gotham knows well; in 2023, the Bats entered the playoffs as a low seed and went on a memorable run that ended with the first NWSL Championship in club history.
Even in defeat, Gotham has shown resilience down the stretch. A 3-2 loss at North Carolina in the regular-season finale featured rallying goals from Lavelle and Gabi Portilho, a reminder of the attacking depth that has kept Gotham dangerous throughout the year. The team also proved strong away from home, earning 19 points from 13 road matches, fifth-best in the league, while conceding just 13 goals and recording six clean sheets.
Kansas City, meanwhile, has been the class of the league from start to finish. The Current stormed through the regular season with a (21-3-2, 65 points) record, setting a new NWSL single-season wins mark and becoming just the sixth team in league history to go unbeaten at home. They capped their campaign with a 2-1 comeback victory over the San Diego Wave, a performance that summed up their mix of grit, control and attacking flair under head coach Vlatko Andonovski.
Defensive stability has been a defining strength for both sides. Kansas City allowed a league-low 13 goals, while Gotham conceded 25, the second-fewest in the NWSL. Both teams rely on tactical discipline and organization, setting up a matchup that could hinge on one moment of quality.
Sunday’s quarterfinal will mark the first postseason meeting between the two teams and the 12th overall in the all-time series. Gotham is still chasing its first victory over Kansas City, entering with an 0-6-5 record after dropping both regular-season meetings, including a tight 2-1 loss at Sports Illustrated Stadium in July.
The winner will advance to the semifinals to face the Orlando Pride, who defeated the Seattle Reign 2-0 last night.
As Gotham prepares for Sunday’s clash, head coach Juan Carlos Amorós emphasized the pride and purpose driving his squad into the postseason.
“It’s the target – that desire we all have from the moment we start planning preseason to make sure we’re ready for these games, ready to play in the playoffs. It’s taken a lot of effort and time from the players, the staff and the whole club to get us here. Now it’s our duty to make sure our fans are proud of what they see tomorrow – the team they love going out on the pitch and performing at a high level.”
Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger echoed that mindset, saying the team is embracing the challenge with nothing to lose and everything to prove.
“I think everyone is really looking forward to a playoff game in general. It’s a one-time opportunity and you can just go out there and do your best. We all know that Kansas [City] had a really good season, but from experience in other leagues and being in these kinds of competitions, anything can happen. That’s how we’ll go into that game, because you never know who turns up on the day. I’m really excited about it because I feel all the pressure is on them. Nobody’s expecting us to do well, maybe, but I know what my team can do, and I think it will be an exciting game.”
Gotham brings plenty of playoff experience into the clash. Defender Emily Sonnett, one of the NWSL’s most seasoned players, holds postseason records for starts (14), minutes played (1,379) and matches going the full 90 or more (13). Lavelle remains in outstanding form, directly contributing to seven goals over her last nine matches with five goals and two assists, tied for the most in the league during that stretch. She’s also been a difference-maker in past playoff runs, recording two goals and one assist across her last four postseason appearances.
Gotham’s playoff pedigree has been built on late-game heroics. Over its last two playoff openers, the club has outscored opponents 4-1, with three of those goals coming in the second half and two in stoppage time. That relentlessness and belief in playing to the final whistle have become part of the club’s DNA.
Kansas City may have been the powerhouse of the regular season, but Gotham has made a habit of thriving when the pressure peaks. When the two sides meet Sunday at CPKC Stadium, it will be a collision of dominance and defiance and a fitting start to a postseason where every moment counts.
