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Recap: Gotham FC Suffers Decision Day Defeat at North Carolina |
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The North Carolina Courage’s fast start made the difference in a 3-2 win over Gotham FC on a rainy Sunday evening in the Tar Heel State. Gotham FC (9-8-9, 26 points) got two late goals from Rose Lavelle and Gabi Portilho to make it a contest, but the visitors fell short in their torrid rally. The loss moved Gotham FC to eighth place in the final NWSL standings, setting up a road matchup against top-seeded Kansas City in the quarterfinals of the 2025 NWSL Playoffs. The date and time of Gotham FC’s playoff opener will be announced soon. “The first 20 minutes – that's not who we are,” said Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós. “We were not ourselves. We were pressing. We were not good on the ball. … We know that, to win this tournament, this competition will have to be the best ones, something that we are ready for when we are at our best. So, off we go now to (Kansas City). “We will have to be the best version of ourselves.” North Carolina needed a win over Gotham and a Racing Louisville draw or loss to qualify for the playoffs, but Racing’s 1-0 win over Bay FC bumped the Courage out of the postseason picture and altered Gotham’s playoff path on a night it could’ve finished as high as fourth in the NWSL standings. Meredith Speck opened the scoring for the home team at WakeMed Soccer Park, finishing a quick counter in the 14th minute. Manaka Matsukubo shocked Gotham with a second just two minutes later. An own goal early in the second half ultimately sealed Gotham’s fate. Amorós’s team fought back with substitutes Bruninha, Sofia Cook, Gabi Portilho and Lilly Reale, who provided a spark in chasing the game. Cook, Portilho and Reale each had two shots, with Cook nearly finishing a spectacular move through multiple defenders before skimming her shot wide. Portilho drew a penalty in the 85th minute with her dribbling prowess, and Lavelle slotted home the ensuing shot. The Brazilian knocked in a second Gotham goal in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, but the game only had a minute more to go at that point. “Playoffs are like a whole new season, so it doesn’t matter what anyone’s done up to this point – ourselves included,” Lavelle said. “You go into the playoffs with a fresh slate. Kansas City is a great team and has had an incredible season, so we have to start strong from the beginning. We know they’re very good in transition, so we’ll have to be switched on. We’ll use this week to prepare – it’s going to be a tough matchup.” Key Match Points
Gotham FC at North Carolina Courage Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 5:20 p.m. ET kickoff First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, North Carolina Attendance: 11,170 Weather: 62 degrees, overcast Gotham FC (0, 2 – 2) North Carolina Courage (2, 1 – 3) Scoring Summary Gotham FC 87’ - Rose Lavelle (P) 90+5’ - Gabi Portilho (Katie Stengel) North Carolina Courage 14’ - Meredith Speck (Payton Linnehan) 16’ - Manaka Matsukubo 51’ - Jess Carter (OG) Gotham FC (4-3-3): 30 – Ann-Katrin Berger (GK); 19 – Kayla Duran (61’ 4 – Lilly Reale), 6 – Emily Sonnett, 27 – Jess Carter (76’ 18 – Gabi Portilho), 22 – Mandy Freeman (C) (61’ 3 – Bruninha); 7 – Jaelin Howell, 16 – Rose Lavelle, 5 – Josefine Hasbo (61’ 21 – Sofia Cook); 23 – Midge Purce, 28 – Katie Stengel, 2 – Jaedyn Shaw Unused substitutes: 1 – Shelby Hogan (GK), 12 – Ryan Campbell (GK); 11 – Sarah Schupansky, 17 – Mak Whitham, 34 – Khyah Harper Head coach: Juan Carlos Amorós North Carolina Courage (4-3-3): 1 – Casey Murphy (GK); 13 – Ryan Williams, 3 – Kaleigh Kurtz, 27 – Maycee Bell, 4 – Nat Jacobs; 10 – Denise O’Sullivan (C), 16 – Riley Jackson, 20 – Shinomi Koyama (70’ 2 – Ashley Sanchez); 15 – Payton Linnehan (70’ 14 – Tyler Lussi), 34 – Manaka Matsukubo (82’ 8 – Brianna Pinto), 25 – Meredith Speck (70’ 22 – Cortnee Vine) Unused substitutes: 44 – Marisa Jordan (GK); 12 – Talia Staude, 17 – Dani Weatherholt, 30 – Hannah Betfort, 77 – Aline Gomes Interim head coach: Nathan Thackeray Stats Summary GFC / NCC Expected Goals: 2.25 / 2.67 Shots: 21 / 12 Shots on Goal: 7 / 6 Saves: 4 / 5 Corners: 6 / 3 Fouls: 8 / 12 Offside: 3 / 2 Misconduct Summary Gotham FC 77’ - Katie Stengel (Yellow Card - Reckless Offense) Officials Referee: Abdou Ndiaye Assistant Referee 1: Jennifer Garner Assistant Referee 2: Kendall McCardell 4th Official: Nicholas Strednak VAR: Katja Koroleva AVAR: Matthew Rodman Key Quotes HEAD COACH JUAN CARLOS AMORÓS On facing the Kansas City Current in the playoffs and embracing the underdog mentality
It’s where our position in the table has put us. We’re deservingly there – that’s where we finished after 26 games. Kansas City is a great team, but I believe we are, too. We’re going to go there, and I completely back my players and staff to achieve something that hasn’t been done in a very long time. We’re prepared for that moment now. We’re going to give absolutely everything we have, and I truly believe these players are ready to achieve what some might see as impossible.
MIDFIELDER ROSE LAVELLE On facing the Kansas City Current and preparing for the playoffs
Playoffs are like a whole new season, so it doesn’t matter what anyone’s done up to this point – ourselves included. You go into the playoffs with a fresh slate. Kansas City is a great team and has had an incredible season, so we have to start strong from the beginning. We know they’re very good in transition, so we’ll have to be switched on. We’ll use this week to prepare – it’s going to be a tough matchup.
MIDFIELDER JAELIN HOWELL On tonight’s match
That was not the start we had planned or wanted. That just can’t happen. We need to come out fast and strong, and we know we’ve had some slow starts, so that was disappointing. In the second half, we turned it back up, but it was too late. Now that we know our place in the playoffs, we have to start fast, and that’s the overall message for the team moving forward. |