Gotham FC falls to North Carolina Courage 3-2, secures eighth seed for NWSL playoffs
Gotham FC lost their regular season finale Sunday, finishing eighth in the NWSL standings and setting up a quarterfinal road match against top-seeded Kansas City.
November 2, 2025 - 08:59 PM ET • 3 min read
NJ/NY Gotham FC concluded the 2025 NWSL regular season with a 3-2 road loss to the North Carolina Courage on Sunday evening, securing the eighth and final spot in the NWSL Playoffs.
The defeat at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, dropped Gotham FC (9-8-9, 26 points) into an NWSL quarterfinal road matchup against the top-seeded Kansas City Current. The date and time for the playoff opener are pending announcement.
The North Carolina Courage established an early lead, scoring twice within two minutes. Meredith Speck opened the scoring in the 14th minute, followed by Manaka Matsukubo in the 16th minute. An own goal by Gotham defender Jess Carter early in the second half, in the 51st minute, extended the Courage lead to 3-0.
Gotham FC mounted a late rally, sparked by substitutes Gabi Portilho, Bruninha, and Lilly Reale. Midfielder Rose Lavelle converted a penalty kick in the 87th minute, marking her fifth goal of the regular season. Portilho added a second goal for Gotham in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, assisted by Katie Stengel, but the visitors ultimately fell short.
Coach Juan Carlos Amorós criticized the team's start, stating, "The first 20 minutes – that's not who we are. We were not ourselves." He added that the team must deliver the "best version of ourselves" to succeed in the postseason.
Gotham FC's loss, combined with a 1-0 win by Racing Louisville, altered the playoff picture. While North Carolina needed a win and a Racing Louisville draw or loss to qualify, Racing's victory eliminated the Courage from postseason contention.
Gotham FC enters the playoffs as the clear underdog against Kansas City. Midfielder Rose Lavelle emphasized that the playoffs represent a "whole new season" and a "fresh slate."
"Kansas City is a great team and has had an incredible season, so we have to start strong from the beginning," Lavelle said following the match.
Coach Amorós expressed confidence in his squad despite the difficult draw. "Kansas City is the favorite right now based on what they've done this year—they deserve that—but we'll need to be the best version of ourselves to win there, and I definitely believe we can," he noted.
The final regular season match saw several Gotham players achieve club milestones. Defender Emily Sonnett made her 26th regular season start, setting a new club record for most starts in a single regular season. Sonnett and defender Lilly Reale also became the third and fourth players in club history to appear in every match of a 26-game season. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger set new club records for a goalkeeper with her 46th regular-season start and appearance.