Gotham FC Clinches Playoff Spot with Draw vs. Racing Louisville

Late game magic from Rose Lavelle salvaged a critical point for Gotham FC on Sunday at Sports Illustrated Stadium, helping the home team rally to a 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville and clinch a spot in the NWSL Playoffs for the third consecutive year.

Gotham FC’s position in the postseason’s knockout bracket will be determined on the NWSL’s Nov. 2 Decision Day – when 12 of the league’s 14 teams play at 3 p.m. and the last two play at 5 p.m. Coach Juan Carlos Amorós’s team could place anywhere from third to eighth.

“Making it to the playoffs is a must,” Amorós said. “I want to give a lot of credit to the players and staff for their effort all year. They’ve had to fight against so many challenges, especially with midweek games and missing key players. Today, they showed resilience. The team deserved to win. … It’s been a tough year with injuries, but the team showed incredible effort, and I’m super proud of them.”

Gotham FC (9-7-9, 36 points) entered Sunday’s match knowing a draw or win would clinch a postseason berth after results elsewhere only impacted the team’s place in the standings as opposed to entirely knocking out ninth-place North Carolina.

The team’s play reflected that urgency, generating 1.54 expected goals from 17 shots, including seven on target. Gotham twice hit the woodwork, and Racing goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer made five saves.

Jaelin Howell’s well-struck right-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area put Gotham FC in front after just 14 minutes, capping a flurry of early pressure from the hosts with a curling effort in off the post. Then Midge Purce’s drive from 10 yards out smacked off the crossbar in the 20th minute, nearly putting Gotham up 2-0.

But Racing (9-9-7, 34 points) clawed a goal back in the 29th minute when Janine Sonis’s shot took a deflection to beat Gotham goalkeeper Shelby Hogan, who appeared in position to safely parry the effort. Sarah Weber added the second Louisville goal in the 65th minute.

That teed up Lavelle’s big moment, with her left-footed curling shot from 20 yards out narrowly beating Bloomer to the near post.

Now Gotham FC will close out the 2025 NWSL regular season on the road at North Carolina, facing the Courage on Sunday, Nov. 2, with the chance to claim a home playoff game with a top-four finish.

Key Match Points

• Gotham FC clinched a playoff berth for the third consecutive season. Prior to this run, the club had only qualified for the postseason in 2013 and 2021.
• Midfielder Rose Lavelle scored her fourth goal of the 2025 NWSL regular season and the 20th of her regular-season career.
  • The goal marked Gotham’s first free kick score of the NWSL season and Lavelle’s first in any league competition.
  • Lavelle’s goal was her first since Sept. 26 against the Portland Thorns.
• Midfielder Jaelin Howell tallied her fourth goal of the 2025 NWSL regular season and the fourth of her regular-season career.
  • It was Howell’s first goal since Sept. 7 against Angel City FC.
• Forward Midge Purce and defender Emily Sonnett each made their 50th regular-season start for Gotham FC, becoming the 12th and 13th players in club history to reach that milestone.
  • The match also marked Sonnett’s 50th regular-season appearance, making her the 21st Gotham player to hit that mark.
• Gotham has now scored 19 first-half goals in 25 matches, with only the Washington Spirit (27) and Kansas City Current (27) recording more in the NWSL this season.
• Gotham FC has now avoided defeat in its last five NWSL matches when scoring first, a streak that began after a 2-1 loss to the Houston Dash on Aug. 17.
• Gotham played in front of 11,219 fans — the sixth-largest home crowd overall and the fourth-largest regular-season home crowd in club history.

Gotham FC vs. Racing Louisville FC

Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025

3 p.m. ET kickoff

Sports Illustrated Stadium; Harrison, New Jersey

Attendance: 11,219

Weather: 73 degrees, partly cloudy

Gotham FC (1, 1 – 2)

Racing Louisville FC (1, 1 – 2)

Scoring Summary

Gotham FC

15’ - Jaelin Howell

85’ - Rose Lavelle

Racing Louisville FC

29’ - Janine Sonis (Emma Sears)

65’- Sarah Weber

Gotham FC (4-3-3): 1 – Shelby Hogan (GK); 3 – Bruninha (65’ 22 – Mandy Freeman), 6 – Emily Sonnett, 27 – Jess Carter (82’ 19 – Kayla Duran), 4 – Lilly Reale (82’ 18 – Gabi Portilho); 7 – Jaelin Howell, 16 – Rose Lavelle (C), 5 – Josefine Hasbo (74’ 11 – Sarah Schupansky); 23 – Midge Purce, 28 – Katie Stengel, 2 – Jaedyn Shaw

Unused substitutes: 12 – Ryan Campbell (GK); 21 – Sofia Cook, 34 – Khyah Harper

Head coach: Juan Carlos Amorós

Racing Louisville FC (4-3-3): 24 – Jordyn Bloomer (GK); 2 – Lauren Milliet, 5 – Ellie Jean, 3 – Arin Wright (C), 16 – Janine Sonis; 26 – Taylor Flint, 8 – Ary Borges, 20 – Katie O’Kane (72’ 14 – Marisa DiGrande); 13 – Emma Sears, 42 – Sarah Weber, 6 – Ella Hase (63’ 9 – Kayla Fischer)

Unused substitutes: 1 – Katie Lund (GK), 77 – Madison White (GK); 11 – Courtney Petersen, 12 – Allie George, 17 – Maddie Pokorny, 32 – Avery Kalitta, 88 – Bethany Balcer

Head coach: Bev Yanez

Stats Summary

GFC / LOU

Expected Goals: 1.54 / 0.72

Shots: 17 / 9

Shots on Goal: 7 / 3

Saves: 1 / 5

Corners: 7 / 3

Fouls: 9 / 11

Offside: 1 / 2

Misconduct Summary

Gotham FC

53’ - Bruninha (Yellow Card - Tactical Foul)

67’ - Emily Sonnett (Yellow Card - Dissent)

Racing Louisville FC

84’ - Taylor Flint (Yellow Card - Tactical Foul)

Officials

Referee: Alexandra Billeter

Assistant Referee 1: Matt Trotter

Assistant Referee 2: Nicholas Seymour

4th Official: Justen Lopez

VAR: Jamie Padilla

AVAR: Brian Marshall