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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Jeff Rueter

Rose Lavelle’s magic gives Gotham an NWSL championship that once seemed inevitable

Mandy Freeman #22 of NJ/NY Gotham FC and teammates celebrate with the Champion's trophy after winning the NWSL Championship 2025 final between Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham FC at PayPal Park on November 22, 2025 in San Jose, California.
Gotham FC needed an 80th-minute goal from Rose Lavelle to capture the NWSL title. Photograph: Eakin Howard/NWSL/Getty Images

When Rose Lavelle won the World Cup with the US in 2019, she did so by scoring the decisive goal. Six years, three club transfers, and nearly 100 national team caps later, she secured her first NWSL title in similar style.

The playmaker made the difference for Gotham FC in a tense final on Saturday, taking advantage of a rare scoring chance and placing her shot to the far corner in a 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit. The strike was a rare moment of attacking incisiveness in a match between two of the league’s fiercest rivals, with Gotham capitalizing on a period of indecision by Spirit manager Adrián González.

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