3 things we learned from Gotham FC's NWSL Championship win over Washington | OneFootball

On Saturday evening in San Jose, California, NJ/NY Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit battled it out in the NWSL Championship.  Both teams wanted to win their second championship, and the Bats knew it would be an uphill battle.  Sure, made the finals due to upsets against the Kansas City Current and Orlando Pride.  But could they do it again?  The answer was yes!

Gotham FC won the 2025 Championship, beating the Spirit 1-0.  It took until the 80th minute, but Rose Lavelle scored to put the Bats in front.  And in the end, that would be the lone goal in a game that the NJ/NY side kept Washington to zero shots on target.

When all is said and done, it truly is amazing that Gotham made it to the NWSL Championship.  The poor end to the season and their struggles with consistency highlighted the 2025 NWSL campaign.  But they reminded everyone that they still have the talent to compete.  Hopefully, with the assumption that most of the players will be back next year, 2025 will see them compete for another championship trophy while improving in the regular season.

Of course, there is a lot to discuss about the match.  Here are three things we learned from Gotham FC’s 1-0 win in the NWSL Championship.

Rose Lavelle was the hero for Gotham FC

As mentioned, Lavelle scored the only goal in the match in the 80th minute.  She was not only influential in the midfield and attack with her movement, but on the scoresheet too.

But the goal would have never happened without Bruninha’s brilliant run from the left side of the pitch and into the box.  She outran and dodged Washington players, showing off her fancy footwork, and sent the ball toward the center of the box.  It made its way to the edge, and Lavelle ran there from the right side.  With one touch, she struck the ball with supreme accuracy and sent it into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Hence, she was the hero for Gotham FC.  She had a fantastic performance regardless of the goal, but the goal was the icing on the cake of a great night for the midfielder.  And, this was the Lavelle’s first NWSL Championship.  The Bats are lucky to have her, and should maybe start thinking about that contract extension.  Of course, they should let her celebrate the win.

Another Cinderella story

In 2023, Gotham FC was the final team of the playoffs, finishing the year in sixth place.  That team went on a run and became the champions for the first time.

As everyone knows, the Bats ended the season in eighth place, which was again the final spot for the postseason.  Since the point difference was higher compared to 2023, there was a lot of doubt about whether Gotham could go on a run.  And yes, Skyscraper Blues expressed that.

Thankfully, everyone who doubted the team was wrong.  They went on another Cinderella run after an up-and-down regular season, thus writing another Cinderella story.  The fact that this happened in both of their championship wins is absolutely incredible.

However, this one feels different.  They beat the Current, who had 29 more points than the Bats, and then went on to upset more teams to lift the trophy.  Plus, there was the inconsistency throughout 2025, and before the playoffs, things were not looking great.  But Gotham went on this run and secured another trophy for the team.

Gotham FC’s season ends with a trophy

Well, after winning the NWSL Championship, it is clear that the 2025 season is over.  It was not easy, and there were doubts and times when the fans just felt defeated.  But the NJ/NY side found a way and ended the year with a trophy.

Gotham FC is the 2025 NWSL Champion.  There is nothing better than that.