Gotham FC vs Seattle Reign preview: Going for 11 in a row without a loss | OneFootball

NJ/NY Gotham FC will welcome Seattle Reign FC to Harrison, New Jersey. The Bats enter the game after wrapping up their CONCACAF W Champions Cup group stage campaign with a 0-0 draw with the Washington Spirit. This result secured their spot in the semifinals next spring as they look to win the tournament for the second year in a row.

Meanwhile, Gotham FC has once again found form in the latter stages of the season. The NJ/NY side has a combined record in 2024 and 2025 of 12-5-2 in NWSL play from August through to the end of the season. This includes a 4-0-1 record in their last five matches in NWSL play, which has seen them vault up the table from eighth to third. And they will look to make it two wins in a row against Cascadia opponents after beating Portland Thorns FC at home by a score of 3-0 in one of the team's most complete performances of the season.

At the same time, it will not be easy. Seattle's 2025 season has been a great bounce-back year for the club. After finishing 13th in 2024, their worst regular-season finish ever, they currently sit in fifth, just one point behind Gotham in third. This has been in part thanks to a potential new wave of Reign superstars such as Sam Meza, Claudia Dickey, Emeri Adames, and Jordyn Bugg, all of whom are 25 or younger, having great seasons and supplementing existing Reign legends like Jess Fishlock and Lauren Barnes. The team has struggled recently away from home, though, with just one win in their last six games.

Arguably, this is the biggest game left in the regular season. While Gotham has a match against the Kansas City Current next week, that game is much less consequential given the 22-point gap between the two in the standings. With a point separating the Bats and the Reign, a win or loss on Sunday could be the difference between being at home or on the road in the first round of the playoffs. Here's a preview of Sunday's matchup.

Gotham FC vs Seattle Reign preview

Date

The game will be played on Sunday, October 5.

Time

The match is scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM ET.

How to watch

The fixture will be streamed on NWSL+ and Paramount+ and will be broadcast on the MSG Network in the New York/New Jersey area.

Location

The game will be played at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.

Weather

Temperatures will be in the mid-80s at kickoff before dropping down to the high-70s by the end of the match. Wind speeds will be around 8 mph with humidity hovering around 40%. There is a 0% chance of rain throughout the match. Sunset is scheduled for 6:31 PM.

Injury report

Tierna Davidson (SEI - knee), Geyse (knee), Gabi Portilho (thigh), Ella Stevens (knee), and Taryn Torres (SEI - knee) will all be unavailable for Sunday's match, making this the longest injury report in some time.

Players to watch

Gotham FC fans should watch Rose Lavelle, who has been a big key to the team's recent success. Ever since she returned to being as close to 100% fit as she can be, she has looked like her typical self with five goal contributions in her last five games. Also, the team is unbeaten in every match in which she has registered a goal contribution at 10-0-3 ever since she joined the club in 2024.

For Seattle, Dickey has been a contender for best goalkeeper in NWSL, making her one to watch. She is currently tied for fourth in clean sheets, save percentage, and saves per 90 while leading the league in goals prevented at 8.90, well ahead of second-place Aubrey Kingsbury, who sits at 6.00. Seattle has been a very stingy team defensively, and fans should expect no different when they take on Gotham on Sunday.

Prediction

Last week's match against Portland was expected by many to be a close encounter, but the NJ/NY side blew the Thorns out of the water. The game against Seattle looks more likely to be the tightly contested match many expected last week, given their defensive record. Gotham FC will continue their unbeaten run with a 1-0 win thanks to an Esther González goal off a Lavelle assist. González is currently second in the Golden Boot race, one goal behind Kansas City's Temwa Chawinga, who has 14. If González wants to eventually overtake Chawinga, she'll probably have to score at more than a goal a game to end the season.