Gotham FC delivered a long awaited NWSL Shield to their supporters on Sunday’s NWSL Decision Day at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
For veteran defender Mandy Freeman, who is the longest tenured Gotham player and has spent her entire 10-year career at the club, the moment of sharing the Shield with supporters meant everything.
“I feel like every year I talk about how important and critical they are to the team’s success, to the environment, to the atmosphere that they create for the fans, so to be able to win that with them for as long as they’ve held it down for the team is an amazing moment.” Freeman said in the mixed zone.
Gotham FC Moves Closer to Treble Dream
After defeating the Utah Royals 2-0, Gotham are an NWSL championship away from becoming the first NWSL franchise to complete a domestic treble in a single season. Gotham previously captured the NWSL Challenge Cup in June.
“We’re aware of what’s on the line, but I think for us it’s always about the next game, always about the next training session, next moment,” Gotham FC president of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West said in the mixed zone.
“So we’re going to be focused on that next playoff game, hopefully get the opportunity to have more than one, and then obviously, we’re so proud of the things that we’ve accomplished so far, but there’s still more to do, so hopefully that’s something you can talk about in a couple weeks.”
Guro Reiten’s ninth-minute goal put Gotham ahead and substitute Jaedyn Shaw doubled the Bats’ advantage in the 80th minute to seal the victory.
Jaelin Howell Suffers Right Ankle Injury in Shield-Clinching Win
Midfielder Jaelin Howell suffered a non-contact injury in the 20th minute. She had to be assisted off the pitch and immediately went down the tunnel.
The 26-year-old was replaced by veteran Savannah McCaskill in the 23rd minute.
Gotham PR would later confirm that Howell sustained a right ankle injury. Following the match, Howell was wearing a right leg walking boot when she
Rose Lavelle and Shaw were named to the bench after both players were previously held out of Gotham’s 2-1 road victory over the Orlando Pride on October 25. Shaw replaced Tess Boade in the 60th minute.
Gotham FC will host the eighth seed Seattle Reign FC at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, November 8, at Sports Illustrated Stadium in the opening round of the 2026 NWSL Playoffs.
ABC and ESPN Deportes will carry the national broadcast which will also be available to stream on the ESPN App for unlimited subscribers.
If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting independent, local soccer journalism by buying me a coffee.
Contributions made through Buy Me a Coffee help support the time, travel and resources that go into bringing you on-the-ground coverage, reporting and original stories — without paywalls.
More Gotham FC Coverage
Enjoyed this story? Follow us for the latest updates! | Bluesky | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Leave a Reply