NOTES TO KNOW

NOTES TO KNOW

WORST TO FIRST

With a 2-1 victory against OL Reign in the 2023 NWSL Championship, presented by Bud Light, NJ/NY Gotham FC captured the first NWSL Championship in club history, highlighting a remarkable turnaround from 2022. Gotham FC finished last in the 2022 regular season standings (4-17-1) with a negative goal differential of 30, the worst in the league since 2018. 2023 NWSL Coach of the Year Juan Carlos Amorós guided the club to an 8-7-7 regular season record in 2023 and became the first Coach of the Year to win the NWSL Championship in the same season since 2018. Gotham FC is the first team in league history to win the Championship after finishing in last place the previous season. The Kansas City Current made the 2022 NWSL Championship after having the worst record in the league in 2021, but they lost in the final match to Portland Thorns FC. Amorós is the fourth coach in league history to win a Championship in their first year with a club.

ATTENDANCE AND VIEWERSHIP

25,011 fans attended the final match at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, setting an NWSL Championship attendance record. CBS Sports averaged 817,000 viewers for the match, joining the 2022 Championship as the only other NWSL game to eclipse 800,000, while CBS Sports Golazo Network’s ATTACKING THIRD recorded its highest NWSL viewership numbers. The exciting 2023 finale also sits as the most streamed NWSL match on Paramount+.

EARLY ACTION

For the first time since 2016, both teams scored in the first half of the Championship, with Gotham FC taking a 2-1 lead into halftime. Forward Lynn Williams struck first, scoring her fourth career playoff goal in the 24th minute from an assist by forward Midge Purce, the first of her playoff career. OL Reign midfielder Rose Lavelle evened the score just five minutes later with her first career playoff goal with forward Bethany Balcer recording her first playoff assist. Gotham FC took the lead back in first half stoppage time with a header from forward Esther, her first playoff goal, as Purce recorded her second assist of the night.

LATE CHAOS

The final match took a dramatic turn in the 7th minute of second-half stoppage time when Gotham FC goalkeeper Mandy Haught picked up a red card for handling the ball outside the box with her club just seconds from winning the title. With no substitution windows remaining, Gotham FC turned to defender Nealy Martin, who previously jumped in goal in the same stadium against San Diego Wave FC in Week 16, to replace Haught in goal. Gotham FC was able to block the ensuing free kick and hold off OL Reign’s offense for the final minutes to become the second short-handed team to win the Championship in league history, joining the 2013 Portland Thorns. Haught’s red card was the first straight red in Championship game history.

MILESTONES AND RECORDS

MVPURCE

Forward Midge Purce earned Championship MVP honors for Gotham FC, becoming the first player to record two assists in a final since FC Kansas City midfielder Lauren Holiday did so against the Reign in 2014.

MULTIPLE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Gotham FC’s Lynn Williams made history, becoming the first player in league history to play in and win four NWSL Championships, scoring her fourth career playoff goal in the process. Though she was sidelined with an injury, midfielder McCall Zerboni also won her fourth NWSL title. Midfielder Yazmeen Ryan and keeper Abby Smith are back-to-back champions as both were part of Portland Thorns FC 2022 roster that won last year’s Championship. Midfielder Allie Long won her third Championship, as she was on the Thorns’ title-winning rosters in 2013 and 2017. Midfielder Mana Shim, also on the Thorns’ 2013 roster, won her second Championship. Gotham FC’s roster includes two more past champions, as defender Kelley O’Hara won the title with the Washington Spirit in 2021 and defender Taylor Smith won with the Western New York Flash in 2016.

PASSING THE TORCH

In the last game of her professional career, Gotham FC defender Ali Krieger won her first NWSL Championship. Krieger, who earned a Mastercard Best XI selection and was a Defender of the Year finalist this season, is the oldest player to win their first NWSL title. Her teammate and fellow NWSL original Kristie Mewis is also a first time Champion in her 11th NWSL season. Krieger became the second-oldest player in league history to start in a final behind Portland Thorns captain Christine Sinclair who set the record in 2022 at age 39. The veteran defender ended her career with a Championship by defeating OL Reign, whose starting lineup was the oldest in NWSL Championship history. Gotham FC surrounded its veterans with plenty of young talent, including goalkeeper Mandy Haught, who is the youngest starting keeper to win the final since 2018 at 25 years and nine days. 22-year-old Jenna Nighswonger is just the second Rookie of the Year, presented by Ally, to win a Championship in the same season.

UNDER THE BRIGHT LIGHTS

Gotham FC forward Esther won the Women’s World Cup with Spain this year before joining the NWSL, making her the first international player to win the World Cup and the NWSL Championship in the same season. With her header goal being the game-winner for Gotham FC, she joins former FC Kansas City forward Amy Rodriguez as the only other player to win the World Cup and score a game-winning goal in the NWSL Championship in the same season. Esther and midfielder Maitane are the first Spanish internationals to win the NWSL Championship.

ROAD WARRIORS

Gotham FC is the first team in league history to win the Championship via three road games, and the first sixth seed to win the title since the playoff format expanded to six teams in 2021. They defeated No. 3 seed North Carolina Courage in the quarterfinals at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina before beating No. 2 seed Portland Thorns at Providence Park in the semifinals. Gotham FC capped off the season with a final road victory against No. 4 OL Reign at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

2023 NWSL CHAMPIONSHIP, PRESENTED BY BUD LIGHT, MATCH RESULT

No. 4 OL Reign vs. No. 6 NJ/NY Gotham FC | 1 – 2 | Match Recap