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Match Preview: Gotham FC Returns Home for Friday Clash with Portland |
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JERSEY CITY, N.J. (Sept. 25, 2025) - After a road trip that featured two wins and a draw in just over a week, Gotham FC returns home for another pivotal test in the tightening NWSL playoff race.
Third-place Gotham hosts the fourth-place Portland Thorns on Friday at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET, with coverage locally on MSG Networks and nationally streaming on NWSL+.
NWSL+ is accessible for free via several platforms. For more details on how to find NWSL+, visit here.
Gotham (8-6-7, 31 points) enters Week 22 in third place in the league table, with only three points separating third and eighth. The club closed its three-match West Coast swing with a 1-1 draw at Bay FC on Sunday after registering a critical win Sept. 12 at then-third-place San Diego. Midfielder Rose Lavelle netted her second goal of the season, while Esther González tallied her first league assist of 2025 and her 14th goal contribution in the regular season.
Portland (8-6-7, 31 points) sits just behind Gotham in fourth place, trailing on goal differential. In the 14-team NWSL, the top eight reach the playoffs, and the top four host opening round postseason matches. With the final set for the Bay Area in California, it’s likely the championship match would be a neutral-site affair for the two finalists, making a top-four finish and the chance for at least one home playoff game all the more appetizing.
Both teams enter Friday’s game in good form: Gotham is unbeaten in its last eight matches across all competitions, including a 3-0-2 stretch in NWSL play. The Thorns, who also secured a 1-1 draw in Week 21, are unbeaten in their last three (1-0-2).
Friday’s match will be the 33rd all-time meeting between the clubs, with the series record nearly even. Portland holds a slight edge, with a 13-11-8 record against Gotham. Before falling to Portland in April, Gotham had strung together a four-match winning streak in the series, including two playoff victories. At home, Gotham has posted a 5-5-4 record all-time against the Thorns.
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