Gotham FC Rises to Fourth in the NWSL After Strong Start to the 2025 Season
- spspring2025
- Apr 22
- 3 min read
Updated: May 4
As of Monday, April 21, Gotham FC sits 4th out of 14 teams in the NWSL standings, trailing the Kansas City Current, Orlando Pride, and Washington Spirit. The team has a record of 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw, with 8 goals scored and 8 goals conceded.
Gotham opened its season on Saturday, March 15, with a 1-1 draw away at Seattle Reign. The match showcased the promise of new signings and rising talent. Brazilian international Gabi Portilho scored Gotham’s only goal in her debut match. Making history alongside her was 14-year-old forward Mak Whitman, who became the youngest player to appear in an NWSL regular season match. Despite a strong start, Gotham conceded the equalizer in the 71st minute.
Next came the club’s home opener against Orlando Pride at the newly renovated Sports Illustrated Stadium. Presented by CarMax, the matchday included a lively Fan Fest featuring live music, giveaways, face painting, and a “Blue Out” theme. It drew a record-breaking crowd, making it the best-selling regular season home opener in club history. However, the celebration did not carry over to the field: Gotham fell 2-0 to the reigning league champions. Despite the loss, head coach Juan Carlos Amorós praised the team’s control and composure throughout the match.
On March 28, Gotham traveled to Houston to face the Dash and earned another draw, finishing 1-1 with 59.1% possession. Amorós was again proud of the performance despite the outcome; however, in the 44th minute, club captain and defender Tierna Davidson tore her ACL. Her leadership will be missed, but the team showed resilience throughout the rest of the match.
Since then, Gotham has bounced back with two consecutive wins. On April 3, the team defeated the North Carolina Courage 3-1. Rookie defender Lily Reale scored her first professional goal, and Spanish star Esther González added two more—her first goals of the season—in the 43rd and 45+4th minutes.
In the club’s most recent match, Gotham dominated Angel City FC with a 4-0 road win on Friday, April 18th. González continued her scoring streak with another brace, including a header off a corner in the 65th minute of the game. Reale scored her second career goal, and Brazilian forward Geyse Ferreira, acquired on loan just three weeks prior, capped off the scoring in the 84th minute. The victory propelled Gotham into its current fourth-place position in the league.
Up next, Gotham FC heads to Portland to face the Thorns on Tuesday, April 22, at 10:30 p.m EST. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. Last season, Gotham defeated Portland 1-0. The Thorns currently sit 9th in the league with a 1-2-2 record. Tune in to see if Gotham can stay undefeated on the road!
UPDATED - May 4, 2025
Since this article was first written, Gotham FC has faced two high-stakes matchups. First, the team traveled to face the Portland Thorns on Tuesday, April 22. Despite a strong start and a goal from Esther González that leveled the match at 1-1 before halftime, Gotham ultimately fell 4-1—marking Portland’s first win over Gotham since October 2023. The loss also ended Gotham’s impressive 10-match road unbeaten streak. Still, González’s goal was a notable one: it moved her into second place on Gotham’s all-time scoring list with 16 goals and elevated her to the top of the NWSL Golden Boot race.
Gotham bounced back just days later with a dominant 3-0 win over the Washington Spirit on Saturday, April 26. The team struck early, scoring all three goals in the first half. Sarah Schupansky opened the scoring, followed by two more from González, who continued her remarkable run. With 18 career goals for the club, she now holds sole possession of second place on Gotham FC’s all-time scoring leaderboard.
Today, Gotham FC (now 3-2-2) returns home to face the Chicago Red Stars after a 10-day road trip. Fans are eager to welcome the team back and see if the momentum will continue on home turf.
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