Gotham FC continues to monitor the fitness of starting goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger ahead of Sunday’s home match against the Houston Dash following a severe collision in continental play.
Berger was stretchered off the field just before halftime during Gotham’s Concacaf W Champions Cup semifinal against Club América last Wednesday. While she was discharged from the hospital last Thursday and has since rejoined the team, her availability for the final match ahead of the June break remains uncertain.
Losing Berger would normally trigger alarm bells for a team fighting to stay within striking distance of the top four in a tightly packed playoff race. Through 10 matches this season, Berger has been the spine of Gotham’s fifth-place squad, leading the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) with seven clean sheets.
Yet, should the Bats be forced to rest their star goalkeeper, the reigning NWSL champions are better equipped than most teams to withstand the temporary loss of an elite starter. In backup Shelby Hogan, Gotham can turn to an established No. 1 goalkeeper with a proven résumé of high-level domestic production and championship experience.
Before her offseason trade to New Jersey ahead of the 2025 campaign, the 28-year-old was the definitive starting goalkeeper for the Portland Thorns. During her 2024 breakout season, she made 21 regular season starts and recorded 70 saves. Most notably, Hogan earned nine clean sheets that year, a total that ranked second in the NWSL behind only Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse.
Beyond her regular-season statistics, Hogan brings extensive big-game experience to the pitch. Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of Providence College, she has been a member of five title-winning squads, collecting two NWSL Championships, an NWSL Challenge Cup and a Concacaf W Champions Cup title. She has also proven capable of handling sudden high-pressure opportunities, having previously started the 2023 NWSL Playoff Semifinal for Portland.
Hogan has already established comfort within Juan Carlos Amorós’ system, featuring in both domestic and continental competition since joining Gotham. Following Berger’s injury against Club América, Hogan played the final 45 minutes of the semifinal before starting Gotham’s third-place match against CF Pachuca days later, settling in behind a world-class backline anchored by defenders Jess Carter, Emily Sonnett and Tierna Davidson.
Sunday’s matchup at Sports Illustrated Stadium represents Gotham’s final match before the NWSL enters a monthlong regular season break from June 1 through June 28. Whether Amorós ultimately risks Berger or hands the gloves to Hogan against Houston, Gotham’s defensive identity appears well-positioned to remain intact.
