No. 8 Gotham FC secured their second playoff upset on Sunday, as a last-minute strike from forward Jaedyn Shaw earned the Bats a dramatic 1-0 semifinal win over the defending champion No. 4 Orlando Pride — and a ticket to next weekend's 2025 NWSL Championship.
The Pride had more chances throughout the closely contested match, but Shaw's masterful direct kick in second-half stoppage time ended Orlando's repeat bid.
"I'm grateful that everybody trusts me to step up in those moments," the 20-year-old midseason signee said postgame. "It starts on the training field, I feel the staff has really helped me improve my free kicks and all set pieces."
Also boosting Gotham's front line on Sunday was 2025 MVP finalist Esther, who returned to the starting lineup after missing the Bats' quarterfinal due to injury.
While Gotham saw the return of their season's top scorer, Orlando entered the match without Pride star striker Barbra Banda, ultimately failing to overcome her ongoing absence due to a midseason SEI.
"I think we were so resilient this season," Pride captain Marta said after the match. "Many people believed that we couldn't go so far, especially after we lost Barbra."
"[Gotham] have a good team, but we needed to be just a little bit more aggressive overall," she added. "We needed to put the ball in."
How to watch Gotham FC in the 2025 NWSL Championship
Sunday's result sends No. 8 Gotham FC to the 2025 NWSL Championship in San Jose, where they'll face the No. 2 Washington Spirit on Saturday.
The match kicks off at 8 PM ET, with live coverage airing on CBS.
The NWSL dropped its end-of-year award shortlists on Monday, as the league gives standout players and coaches props for a quality 2025 regular season.
Back-to-back Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga is up for her second straight NWSL MVP award, with the Current star joined by San Diego Wave forward Delphine Cascarino, Gotham striker Esther González, North Carolina Courage attacker Manaka Matsukubo, and fellow Kansas City forward Bia Zaneratto as international front line stars swept the 2025 MVP shortlist.
Matsukubo is also up for 2025 NWSL Midfielder of the Year alongside Kenza Dali (San Diego), Debinha (Kansas City), Claire Hutton (Kansas City), and Olivia Moultrie (Portland).
Following a record-breaking 2025 NWSL Shield win, the Current received a league-leading eight nominations, with the aforementioned Chawinga, Zaneratto, Debinha, and Hutton joined by Goalkeeper of the Year nominee Lorena, Coach of the Year candidate Vlatko Andonovski, and Defender of the Year shortlisters Kayla Sharples and Izzy Rodriguez.
Notably, the defending champion Orlando Pride is the only club in the 2025 NWSL Playoffs to field zero end-of-season nods, while only Matsukubo, Rookie of the Year nominee Riley Tiernan (Angel City), and Defender of the Year candidate Avery Patterson (Houston Dash) represent teams finishing below the postseason cutoff line.
How to vote for the 2025 NWSL Awards
A weighted scale of players (40%), coaches and leadership (25%), media (25%), and fans (10%) will determine the 2025 NWSL award winners as well as the league's Best XI First and Second Teams, all of which will be revealed in a live ESPN2 broadcast at 5:30 PM ET on Wednesday, November 19th.
Fan voting for the 2025 NWSL Awards is open until 8 PM ET on Wednesday, November 12th.
The 2025 NWSL Award Shortlists
- Most Valuable Player: Delphine Cascarino (San Diego Wave), Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current), Esther González (Gotham FC), Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage), Bia Zaneratto (Kansas City Current)
- Midfielder of the Year: Kenza Dali (San Diego Wave), Debinha (Kansas City Current), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns)
- Defender of the Year: Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current), Kayla Sharples (Kansas City Current)
- Goalkeeper of the Year: Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign), Lorena (Kansas City Current)
- Rookie of the Year: Maddie Dahlien (Seattle Reign), Lilly Reale (Gotham FC), Riley Tiernan (Angel City)
- Coach of the Year: Vlatko Andonovski (Kansas City Current), Adrián González (Washington Spirit), Beverly Yanez (Racing Louisville)
Despite missing the 2025 regular-season finale due to an adductor injury, No. 1 Kansas City Current star forward Temwa Chawinga picked up her second straight NWSL Golden Boot on Sunday.
Chawinga tallied 15 goals and three assists in the 2025 NWSL campaign, beating out Gotham forward Esther (13), North Carolina forward Manaka Matsukubo (11), Louisville forward Emma Sears (10), and Chicago forward Ludmilla (10) for this season's Golden Boot.
The 27-year-old, who set the league's single-season scoring record with 20 goals in 2024, is now just the second-ever NWSL player to earn back-to-back Golden Boots, joining former Chicago star Sam Kerr.
With the Malawi international still recovering from an injury incurred during the Current's October 18th match against the Houston Dash, her recovery remains front of mind as Kansas City gears up for the 2025 NWSL Playoffs.
In order to to stay in market and continue her rehab, Chawinga also pulled out of last week's WAFCON qualifiers in hopes of returning to the NWSL pitch to help the reigning Shield-winners secure a championship.
Kansas City manager Vlatko Andonovski said this week that "there's a chance" Chawinga could be available for the team's early postseason games, but that she was still "day-to-day."
"Deb is good. Kayla's good. Gabby. They're all good," Andonovski told reporters, running through his roster. "Temwa is still not good and we're not going to take any risks at this point. We'll see how she progresses."
After a historic season, Kansas City has to like their playoff chances — but a healthy Chawinga could be the club's key to lifting a first-ever NWSL championship trophy.
Star striker Temwa Chawinga is nearing yet another trophy, as the 2024 NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner lifted her No. 1 Kansas City Current over No. 4 Gotham FC with her 15th goal of the season on Saturday — taking the lead in the 2025 scoring race.
Chawinga's 51st-minute tally secured the 2-0 victory, as the 2025 Shield-winners became the first-ever NWSL team to reach 20 wins in a single season — and the first to ever snag more than 60 points in a single campaign.
The Malawian international is now just the second player in league history to score at least 15 goals across multiple seasons, joining former NWSL star Sam Kerr's 2017, 2018, and 2019 runs for Sky Blue and Chicago.
With two regular-season matchdays left, the 2025 NWSL Golden Boot race is down to Chawinga and Gotham FC attacker Esther, with the Spain star chasing the Kansas City standout with 13 goals of her own.
Besides the two-goal advantage, Chawinga also currently holds the edge in momentum, with the Current striker scoring in her last four NWSL matches while Esther has been silent on goal since September 13th.
Trailing Chawinga and Esther in this year's Golden Boot race with a still-impressive 10 goals apiece are No. 8 Racing Louisville's Emma Sears and No. 14 Chicago Stars' Ludmila.
Jaedyn Shaw hit the ground running in her Gotham FC debut this weekend, as the NJ/NY club's recent $1.25 million-dollar signing scored against her former club in Friday's 2-0 win over the now-No. 5 San Diego Wave — helping boost the Bats to No. 3 in the 2025 NWSL standings.
"This year has been really difficult," an emotional Shaw said after the match. "I'm so grateful for this team and the opportunities I've gotten this year…. I'm extremely grateful for this moment."
The 20-year-old previously shattered scoring records during her time with San Diego, but struggled this year after her offseason transfer to the North Carolina Courage.
Already finding the back of the net for her new team, Shaw will look to put the past behind her as Gotham extends their climb up the table, having risen from No. 8 to No. 3 behind a four-game unbeaten streak that now includes three straight wins.
Gotham forward Esther González is also excelling, retaking the lead in the 2025 NWSL Golden Boot race by tallying her 13th goal of the season in the last minute of Friday's first half against the Wave.
With the club gaining momentum and the 2025 NWSL Playoffs looming, Gotham is looking to make a run to add a second championship trophy to their 2023 title.
"Even in the most difficult moments, they've stayed united, kept pushing together, and kept working hard. That's been our key," said head coach Juan Carlos Amorós after Friday's match.
A high-stakes coastal clash tops this weekend's NWSL bill, with results directly impacting the increasingly tight league standings as No. 8 Gotham tries to hold off a No. 9 Angel City side sitting just one point outside of postseason positioning.
The pair last met in April, when Gotham shutout ACFC 4-0 at LA's BMO Stadium behind a brace from the NWSL's current Golden Boot leader Esther González.
"That's the key — everyone knows their role, their responsibilities, and they're willing to sacrifice for the team defensively while also bringing their quality in attack," Gotham manager Juan Carlos Amorós said earlier this week.
As they try to rise above the crowded mid-table traffic, both teams have seen positive results in recent weeks — along with challenging levels of upheaval.
Angel City recently lost defender Alanna Kennedy, midfielder Katie Zelem, and star forward Alyssa Thompson to midseason overseas transfers, while Gotham's had little room to breathe after defeating Concacaf W Champions Cup opponent Alianza 2-0 in El Salvador on Tuesday.
"You need to be loyal to your style, cement it, and make sure the players know it," said Amorós. "That's critical when you're playing three games in seven days and traveling almost around the world."
How to watch Gotham vs. Angel City this NWSL weekend
No. 8 Gotham will host No. 9 Angel City this Sunday, kicking off live at 5 PM ET on ESPN.
It's officially rivalry weekend in the NWSL, as teams lean on regional proximity, competitive history, and plain old bad blood to add an edge to each of the upcoming matchups.
Owing to a full 10-point lead, the No. 1 Kansas City Current are still untouchable at the top of the NWSL standings, but this weekend's games could significantly reshape the rest of the table.
Both old feuds and recent rivalries will be on display across the NWSL — though a few key battles stand out as must-watch showcases of the league's parity:
- No. 8 Gotham FC vs. No. 3 Washington Spirit, Saturday at 12 PM ET (ESPN): The gap in the standings doesn't matter when these title contenders meet, so expect fireworks when stars like Gotham's Rose Lavelle, Esther, and Midge Purce face off against Trinity Rodman and the Spirit.
- No. 4 San Diego Wave vs. No. 11 Angel City FC, Saturday at 10 PM ET (ION): Despite sitting at No. 4 on the table, San Diego has struggled to beat Angel City since 2023 — a trend the LA side hopes to continue in Saturday's battle for SoCal bragging rights.
- No. 6 Portland Thorns vs. No. 5 Seattle Reign, Sunday at 4 PM ET (CBS): The Cascadia Clash is the oldest and most hallowed rivalry in the NWSL, and this season's edition also sees the Pacific Northwest pair locked in a tight playoff race, with the Thorns ready to overtake the Reign with three weekend points.
World No. 10 France opened their 2025 Euro campaign with a bang on Saturday, beating defending champs No. 5 England 2-1 to better their chances of escaping a tough group stage draw.
Currently sitting atop Group D — the notorious "Group of Death" that includes France and England — are the No. 11 Netherlands, who opened their European Championship tournament run with a 3-0 win over Euro debutants No. 30 Wales.
Notably, star forward Vivianne Miedema made history in the victory, becoming the first-ever Dutch player to score 100 international goals with her record-setting first-half strike on Saturday.
Also hitting the ground running in their first group-stage match were 2023 World Cup champions and world No. 2 Spain, who routed No. 22 Portugal 5-0 on Thursday — La Roja's biggest Euro victory to date.
Gotham FC star Esther González notched a brace in that opener before tallying another goal in Spain's 6-2 win over No. 20 Belgium on Monday — tying the NWSL scoring leader with teammate Alexia Putellas atop the early 2025 Euro Golden Boot race.
Reigning atop Group B, Spain is now guaranteed a spot in the tournament knockouts, joining Group A's No. 16 Norway — the first team to advance from group play.
Norway handed No. 26 Finland a 2-1 defeat in their second match on Sunday, mere hours before host nation No. 23 Switzerland's 2-0 win both eliminated No. 14 Iceland and punched the Norwegians' quarterfinals ticket.
How to watch the 2025 Euro group stage action
The second-match cycle of the 2025 Euro group stage continues on Tuesday before wrapping up on Wednesday.
England's 12 PM ET Wednesday game vs. the Netherlands is already stealing the midweek spotlight, as the Lionesses will need a result against the Dutch to realistically keep their back-to-back title hopes alive.
Live coverage of 2025 Euro matches airs across Fox Sports platforms.
The Kansas City Current continues to hold court atop the NWSL standings, earning their fifth straight win after a brief two-game skid by defeating No. 7 Racing Louisville 4-2 on Saturday.
The Current pounced early, going up 3-0 ahead of the match's 20-minute mark before sealing the win with a second-half stoppage-time goal from star striker Temwa Chawinga.
KC is currently winning the race to stay ahead of 2024 Shield-winner and champions Orlando, who won their third straight match after a second-half dagger by Barbra Banda lifted the No. 2 Pride over No. 9 Bay FC 1-0 on Friday.
Elsewhere, the San Diego Wave regained their grip on third place with Friday's 3-2 victory over the No. 12 Houston Dash, while the No. 5 Portland Thorns began to encroach on Washington's fourth-place standing with a 2-0 win over the Spirit on Sunday.
The top four teams weren't the only ones moving this weekend, as Gotham earned their first regular-season points since early May with Friday's 3-0 win over the last-place Utah Royals — despite two red card offenses limiting their late-game on-field roster to nine.
Along with boosting the Bats back above the playoff line into eighth place, the victory saw NY/NJ forward Esther pull ahead of Chawinga and Banda in the 2025 Golden Boot race, with her two-goal showing putting the Spanish national at nine goals on the season.
While no team is immune to the midseason blues, this weekend's widening eight-point gap between first and fourth place on the table is separating the contenders from the pretenders.
Gotham raised a continental trophy on Saturday, with the NWSL side toppling Liga MX's Tigres UANL 1-0 to claim the first-ever Concacaf W Champions Cup crown.
Powered by a goal from star striker Esther González in the match's 82nd minute, the win punched Gotham's ticket to two additional global tournaments: the inaugural FIFA Champions Cup in 2026 and the 2028 debut edition of the FIFA Women's Club World Cup.
"The other day, we talked about the first-ever champions of competitions like the UEFA Champions League, the Euro, the World Cup, and the Olympics," said Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós following Saturday's victory. "Now, forever, the first team to win the Concacaf W Champions Cup will be Gotham FC."
"These players, with this coaching staff — we are incredibly proud of what they've accomplished."
Gotham wasn't the only NWSL club to claim a Saturday victory at the inaugural confederation tournament. Following a 2-0 loss to the Tigres 2-0 in Wednesday's semifinals, the Portland Thorns bounced back with a 3-0 win over Liga MX side Club América in Saturday's third-place match.
Now with hardware in tow, the Bats will have some ground to make up after the current international break, with Gotham slipping to ninth place in the NWSL standings during their absence from the league last weekend.