HARRISON — Gotham FC dominated Sunday’s match at Sports Illustrated Stadium but couldn’t find the breakthrough, settling for a 0-0 draw against the visiting Seattle Reign in a game with major postseason implications.
The point kept Gotham FC (9-6-8, 35 points) in third place in the tightly packed NWSL standings, maintaining a one-point edge over both Seattle and the Portland Thorns. The result also extended the club’s unbeaten streak to 11 games across all competitions, tying the team record, and marked its seventh consecutive unbeaten match in NWSL play.
The Bats controlled most of the action, holding Seattle without a shot in the first half — the first time the Reign failed to register a shot against the club in 2025. Overall, Seattle managed just one shot on goal, setting a club record for fewest shots faced in a match.
Gotham created several near breakthroughs throughout the match. In the 32nd minute, Rose Lavelle’s powerful strike rattled the crossbar, narrowly missing what would have been a spectacular opener. Top scorer Esther González came close on two occasions in the second half, testing Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey with well-placed shots that just missed their mark. Midway through the second half, Jaedyn Shaw showcased her skill by weaving past two defenders before firing a low, hard shot that Dickey parried. Despite their dominance, Gotham was unable to convert these chances, leaving the scoreline level.
Gotham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger kept her fourth consecutive clean sheet, becoming the seventh player in NWSL history to record double-digit clean sheets in a single season and setting a new club record. Gotham has now conceded just two first-half shots across its last three league matches.
HEAD COACH JUAN CARLOS AMORÓS
“I’m extremely proud of this group of players. Coming off another three-match week in such a congested and demanding schedule, the way the team performed tonight was really impressive. Obviously, we’re disappointed not to have scored, but those are details we’ll keep working on and polishing.”
MIDFIELDER JAELIN HOWELL
Thoughts on the match:
“You look at the stats statistically. We had like 65 percent possession. We had five shots on goal, 10 shots. They had [almost] zero shots and zero shots on goal. Statistically, we should have won that match and that’s what’s frustrating, but a good thing is for the most part we dominated. It’s good to get a point, but obviously we wanted those couple extra just for some cushion in this part of the season.”
GOALKEEPER ANN-KATRIN BERGER
On setting a new club record for clean sheets in a single regular season:
“To be fair, I’m actually not a big fan of setting the standard there because I think it’s for the whole team, basically because it starts with a striker. They’re making my work easy. And that’s why I think I have to thank the team for being that kind to make me look good.”
On the defensive effort:
“The team made it really easy for me and as a goalkeeper, if you don’t have to save a ball, that’s great communication. That’s why I love my job because I can prevent it with my players in front of me. I’m really proud of the team. It was a really good effort, but like Jaelin [Howell] said, it’s just frustrating that we maybe didn’t help us and get us in a better position with just a draw.”
Gotham FC will close the regular season on the road against the Kansas City Current, the 2025 NWSL Shield winners. This matchup will be crucial for the Bats as they aim to solidify their playoff positioning against the league’s top team.
