Gotham FC upsets top-seeded Kansas City Current to advance to NWSL Semifinals

Gotham FC, the lowest seed in the NWSL playoffs, defeated the top-seeded Kansas City Current 2-1 in the quarterfinals on Sunday at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Forward Katie Stengel scored the dramatic game-winning goal in the final minute of extra time, securing one of the biggest upsets in league postseason history and advancing Gotham to the semifinals.

The victory sends Gotham FC to face the reigning NWSL champion Orlando Pride on November 16 at Inter&Co Stadium in Florida.

Coach Juan Carlos Amorós praised the team's performance, noting that many observers had "wrote us off before we even played the game." He added that the team showed "the best version of ourselves."

Gotham FC took an early lead, but Kansas City scored an equalizer in the 93rd minute, forcing the match into extra time. Stengel, who entered the game as a substitute, scored the decisive goal after receiving a flicked pass from midfielder Jaedyn Shaw.

"I saw chaos, and then I saw Jaedyn flick me the ball into space, and I just thought, please, hit this with all your might and keep it on target," Stengel said after the match. Amorós called Stengel's goal well-deserved, noting that the forward had not received the praise she deserved throughout her career.

Midfielder Jaedyn Shaw, who contributed a goal and an assist, was instrumental in the victory. Amorós described Shaw as "definitely one of the best players in the world." Shaw dismissed the notion that Gotham was an underdog, despite finishing the regular season as the No. 8 seed.

"The table doesn't show how good of a team this is. We're not an eighth-place team," Shaw stated. "Underdog my ass—we are not an underdog. We came into this game knowing people thought we were, that we were just the last seed that barely made it into the playoffs. That's not who we are."

Amorós credited the team's depth and mentality for the win, noting that the players coming off the bench were "really, really good and helped the team." He also highlighted the performance of the defensive unit, including Emily Sonnett, who broke the club record for most minutes played in a regular season.

The coach acknowledged the difficulty of the season, which included playing more games and traveling more than any other team, but noted that the challenges gave the group "more fire to perform at the level we know we can."

Gotham FC now prepares for the semifinal match against Orlando, which will be broadcast nationally on ABC next Sunday at 3PM ET.