Sunday night was billed as a battle between the two most recent NWSL Champions, NJ/NY Gotham FC (2023) and the Portland Thorns (2022).
In the end, it was a player beaten by Gotham in last year's final against Seattle Reign, Rose Lavelle, who found the poise to score the winning goal to make it 2-1 in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Lavelle, a 2019 World Cup winner with the U.S. women's national team, signed with Gotham last offseason as a high-profile free agent. This magic moment against the Thorns was born out of a combination of last title-winning year's team with some of the new stars.
Lavelle's goal arrived courtesy of some exceptional hold-up play by substitute and Gotham stalwart Delanie Sheehan. The midfielder posted up a weighted pass into the box after juking her way past Becky Sauerbrunn.
Delanie Sheehan serves it right up for Rose Lavelle for a HUGE #NWSLPlayoffs goal 🌹 pic.twitter.com/0GKd8DuNka
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) November 10, 2024
Speaking to the media after the final whistle, Lavelle heaped praise on Sheehan.
"Delanie [Shehan] did all the heavy lifting there. Kind of served it on a platter for me," said Lavelle. "That was such a moment of brilliance. I think it was a great run. And then I think to have the composure to be able to deal with two defenders on you and cut it back like that, I think it was such a good play."
The first half was a cagey affair that saw Gotham dominate possession but struggle to create chances against a rigid Portland low block. 22 minutes into the second half, Gotham took one of the few chances they had when Lavelle swung in a free kick for defender Tierna Davidson to pop up and hammer home the opening goal.
Having initially set out to be defensive, the Thorns opened up their tactics after going behind, and the match began to settle into a much more frenetic pace. At the time of Davidson's goal, Portland had mustered just one shot in the match.
Gotham's advantage didn't last long. In the 75th minute, Portland returned the favor when Olivia Moultrie's back-post cross from a free kick was headed in by Reilyn Turner to make it 1-1. The set piece was a combination of two players who had only just come off the Thorns bench together in the 65th minute.
That 65th-minute substitution would also be a historic one. It was the final time the world of soccer would see Christine Sinclair playing a professional game. The Canadian legend, who holds the record for the most international goals (190), men or women, is retiring upon the conclusion of this NWSL season.
For one last time, the Greatest Of All Time.
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) November 10, 2024
Sinc, your legacy is immeasurable, your impact will last beyond a lifetime. #ThankYouSinc pic.twitter.com/oLrp1vVXVY
As a dramatic playoff clash of two of the NWSL's biggest clubs took place, Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amoros took relish of being a part of such a storied match and the atmosphere that was created by a club-record crowd of 15,554 at Red Bull Arena.
"Sometimes, as a coach, you need to lock in and forget about the environment," Amoros mused. "It was a difference maker...I took a second to look around. It was amazing. The fans were really helping us. It was really special for me to see the players' faces on the bench and the staff...it was really special"
While Lavelle, Davidson, and Sheehan will grab the headlines for eliminating the Thorns, Amoros made a point to highlight the depth and commitment he has seen from his Gotham squad as they attempt to build on the success of 2023.
As a result of winning the 2023 NWSL Championship, Gotham has been competing across North and Central America in the W Concacaf Champions Cup, in addition to the NWSL and Summer Cup competitions. This was Gotham's 37th competitive match of 2024.
"I'm lost for words for this group. It's been crazy, the schedule we've had, the amount of games, everyone has been ready to step in, to win, and repeat and repeat and repeat. In football, that's the only thing that matters sometimes. The importance of every single one of them is the key [to our success]," said Amoros.
Next weekend, Gotham travel to Audi Field to take on Washington Spirit in the playoff semifinals. The New Jersey club is attempting to become the first club to retain the NWSL Championship since the North Carolina Courage in 2018 and 2019.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Last-minute Rose Lavelle Stunner Sends Gotham to NWSL Semifinals .
