Gotham FC Drops Third-Place Match to Host Side Pachuca

Gotham FC fell 3-0 to CF Pachuca in the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup third-place match Saturday night at Estadio Hidalgo in Pachuca, Mexico.

Pachuca took the front foot early in the match, and captain Charlyn Corral made the most of her chances in front of goal, scoring twice in the opening half for the Liga MX Femenil side. Former North Carolina Courage forward Aline Gomes added a late third for the hosts.

“It’s a performance and an outcome that is not how we normally do things,” said Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós. “Pachuca is a great team, and I want to congratulate them and not take any credit away from them. They were better than us today, and they deserved to win the game. But I really want to highlight the effort and commitment of the whole group – the players that ultimately couldn’t play and the players that were on the pitch. They really gave everything they had. These games are definitely going to make us better in the long run.”

The loss meant Gotham FC finished fourth in the 2025-26 edition of the Concacaf W Champions Cup after winning the inaugural tournament last year. The winner of this year’s event, either Club America or the Washington Spirit, will join Gotham as one of the Concacaf representatives at the 2028 FIFA Women’s Club World Cup.

On Saturday, Pachuca opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Spanish midfielder Andrea Pereira played a long ball into the path of Corral, who finished a low shot underneath Gotham FC goalkeeper Shelby Hogan.

Gotham nearly found an equalizer midway through the first half through Jaedyn Shaw, whose 25th-minute effort from approximately 25 yards out forced goalkeeper Esthefanny Barreras into a diving save.

The home side doubled its advantage in the 38th minute. Following a sequence of passing play off a throw-in, Berenice Ibarra delivered a pass into the penalty area for Corral, who fired home her second goal of the night to extend Pachuca’s lead.

Gotham created its best chance of the match early in the second half. A misplaced pass across Pachuca’s back line fell to Shaw, whose powerful strike crashed off the crossbar and denied Gotham a route back into the contest.

Pachuca added a third goal in the 84th minute through Gomes. The Brazilian carried the ball forward from midfield, weaving through defenders before slotting her finish past Hogan to seal the result for the hosts.

Now Gotham FC will return home and shift focus back to NWSL play, beginning with a match against the Houston Dash on Sunday, May 31, at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. EDT, with coverage streaming on the ESPN App.

Key Match Points

Forward Jaedyn Shaw led Gotham FC with three shots in Saturday’s match against CF Pachuca.
Defender Tierna Davidson led all players in tonight’s match in accurate passes, with 73.
Gotham FC finished with 53% possession and an 86% passing accuracy rate, compared to Pachuca’s 81%.
Gotham FC completed 467 passes in the match, surpassing Pachuca’s 406.

Gotham FC vs. CF Pachuca

Saturday, May 23, 2026

6 p.m. ET kickoff

Estadio Hidalgo; Pachuca, Mexico

Weather: 72 degrees, overcast

Gotham FC (0, 0 – 0)

CF Pachuca (2, 1 – 3)

Scoring Summary

CF Pachuca

12’ – Charlyn Corral (Andrea Pereira)

38’ – Charlyn Corral (Berenice Ibarra)

84’ – Aline Gomes (Karla Nieto)

Gotham FC (4-3-3): 1 – Shelby Hogan (GK); 23 – Midge Purce, 6 – Emily Sonnett (46’ 27 – Jess Carter), 15 – Tierna Davidson (C), 18 – Guro Reiten (82’ 17 – Mak Whitham); 7 – Jaelin Howell, 9 – Esther González, 21 – Sofia Cook (46’ 13 – Savannah McCaskill); 14 – Talia Sommer (46’ 11 – Sarah Schupansky), 28 – Katie Lampson (56’ 4 – Lilly Reale), 10 – Jaedyn Shaw

Unused substitutes: 12 – Ryan Campbell (GK), 20 – Teagan Wy (GK); 2 – Jordynn Dudley, 24 – Andrea Kitahata, 34 – Khyah Harper

Head coach: Juan Carlos Amorós

CF Pachuca (4-2-3-1): 1 – Esthefanny Barreras (GK); 2 – Kenti Robles (46’ 13 – Alexandra Godínez), 15 – Kelly Caicedo (82’ 6 – Karla Nieto), 8 – Yirleidis Minota, 45 – Berenice Ibarra; 28 – Yareli Valadez, 19 – Andrea Pereira; 25 – Aline Gomes, 26 – Paola García (62’ 48 – Abril Fragoso), 10 – Nina Nicosia (67’ 21 – MacKenzee Vance); 9 – Charlyn Corral (C)

Unused substitutes: 22 – Carmen López (GK), 32 – Maried Rodríguez (GK); 3 – Osinachi Ohale, 23 – Daniela Flores, 30 – Chinwendu Ihezuo, 33 – Selene Valera

Head coach: Oscar Torres

Stats Summary

GFC / CFP

Expected Goals: 1.16 / 0.5

Shots: 9 / 13

Shots on Goal: 2 / 8

Saves: 3 / 3

Corners: 1 / 4

Fouls: 11 / 9

Misconduct Summary

Gotham FC

60’ - Lilly Reale (Yellow Card - Tactical Foul)