3 Gotham FC players to watch as the team enters the NWSL Playoffs | OneFootball

It has been a season of ups and downs for NJ/NY Gotham FC and Head Coach Juan Carlos Amorós. The team ended the regular season with a 9-8-9 record, going through periods of unbeaten streaks and winless streaks.

Plus, the Bats lost Tierna Davidson to an ACL injury earlier in the year, losing a vital part of the backline. At the same time, Midge Purce, who suffered an ACL injury in 2024, is finally close to 100% and has been a critical part of the attack.

This season, although full of tribulations, also gave Gotham FC a bright light in the dark with the signing of superstar standout forward Jaedyn Shaw from the North Carolina Courage. Her late addition has helped the Bats, but they still struggled to end the reason. At the same time, they still secured a spot in the NWSL Playoffs. A Decision Day loss against North Carolina saw the team fall into eighth place, meaning that they will face the Kansas City Current in the quarterfinals.

It will be a tall task for Gotham FC to win. As such, some players are needed to step up, and there are some that can be critical to the Bats in the playoffs. Here are a few players to watch in the postseason.

3 Gotham FC players to watch in the playoffs

Rose Lavelle

Rose Lavelle knows how to score the ball in the back of the net. There is no doubt about it. The midfielder scored the second-most goals on Gotham FC, with five in the 2025 regular season. If she did not miss the beginning of the season, then she would probably have more.

In addition, Lavelle is masterful in the flexibility of her playing style. She has been used as a central playmaker and also a linking player, helping to advance the midfield. The star's agility and quickness give her the edge over her opponents in tight spaces and allows her to play difficult passes. The creativity and field awareness that she possesses should not go unnoticed, for she can recognize open patches of space to fill, defensive lines to break, and has a natural sense to get her teammates involved during key moments of matches.

With a must-win game against the Kansas City Current, Lavelle will be a key ingredient in Gotham’s winning recipe as the Bats look to be contenders in attaining the NWSL Championship trophy and be the last team standing when the dust settles.

Gabi Portilho

Hailing from Brazil, Gabi Portilho possesses a natural flair to her game. Fans immediately saw that in her debut goal for Gotham FC against Seattle Reign FC, a beautiful volley at the edge of the box. With that single moment, she proved that she earned her rightful place in the NWSL.

Although she only has three goals in the 2025 season, Portilho's intangible abilities make her such a valuable piece in the playoff push. The winger has an innate ability to make a timely run that gives life to a goal-scoring opportunity. The Brazilian proves to be capable of being a high-yielding player offensively. She will need all her senses to be heightened and her focus to be zeroed in on helping Gotham in any way she can.

Sofia Cook

A former NCAA women’s soccer champion with UCLA in 2022 and a PAC-12 All-Freshman Team player, Sofia Cook comes from a college soccer pedigree that breeds winners. She gives Gotham the luxury of providing some youth and energy to the midfield. She has seen more playing time in the second half of the season. As such, it will be interesting to see how Amorós and his staff continue to work her into their matchday plans.

As a substitute, Cook has been able to rejuvenate the Bats when they need a spark. The player could be vital for Gotham FC in the playoffs, especially against the Current.