Gotham FC Shocks Top-Seeded Kansas City to Reach NWSL Semifinals

Katie Stengel’s dramatic game-winner in the final minute of extra time lifted Gotham FC past top-seeded Kansas City 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the NWSL Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel, producing one of the biggest upsets in league postseason history.

The victory advanced Gotham FC to the semifinals to take on the reigning NWSL champion Orlando Pride at Inter&Co Stadium in Florida, with the kickoff set for 3 p.m. ET Sunday and ABC carrying the national broadcast.

“We really showed the best version of ourselves – the one that we know is us,” said Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós. “Everyone wrote us off before we even played the game that it was a fact that Gotham was going home. We knew internally that the spirit, the quality that these players have, the vision ownership has, the work the staff does behind the scenes – that said something different.”

Sunday’s game brought back familiar feelings for Gotham FC, which, as the lowest seed in the 2023 bracket, upset the top-seeded Portland Thorns en route to winning the NWSL Championship, the first trophy in club history.

This time, Gotham FC was playing the most successful team in NWSL regular season history. Kansas City produced multiple league records en route to a dominant 21-3-2 record, including no home losses at CPKC Stadium.

Until Sunday.

Gotham looked the stronger team throughout the contest, though Kansas City’s Ally Sentnor came the closest to scoring in the first half, hitting a long-range effort that required a world-class fingertip save from Gotham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger.

Halfway through the second half, Jaedyn Shaw provided the breakthrough for the visitors, collecting a lofted Emily Sonnett pass, turning past a defender and then holding her off before sliding home a low right-footed finish to take the lead in the 68th minute. The 20-year-old Shaw scored her first career playoff goal on Sonnett’s first career playoff assist, and it looked as though it would stand as the winner.

Deep into stoppage time, Kansas City’s Ellie Wheeler snuck a curling shot just inside the near post to level the game with only two minutes remaining in the expected added time, extending a riveting match at CPKC Stadium for 30 more minutes.

But in the second half of extra time, the substitute Stengel – who scored the game-winner in the 2023 upset of Portland – once again delivered the knockout blow against a top seed, battering in a close-range shot off the crossbar from Shaw’s assist.

“Relieved – oh, thank god,” Stengel said. “It was a big, long game, but it was the best we’ve played all season long that I’ve seen. Everyone was working well together. To go through such a high, then such a low, it was nice that we ended how we deserved.”

Key Match Points

• Forward Katie Stengel scored the latest game-winning goal in NWSL playoff history and her second career playoff game-winner in extra time.
• Midfielder Jaedyn Shaw netted her first NWSL playoff goal, opening the scoring for Gotham FC in the 68th minute.
  • Shaw also became the seventh player in league history to record a goal and an assist in the same playoff match.
• Defender Emily Sonnett registered her first career playoff assist.
• Sonnett made her 15th career playoff appearance, setting a new NWSL record.
  • She also established a new league record with her 15th career playoff start.
  • Sonnett extended her league record for most playoff minutes played to 1,499.
• Defender Bruninha made her sixth playoff appearance for Gotham FC, setting a new club record for most postseason appearances.
• Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós became the fifth coach in NWSL history to reach three consecutive semifinals.
• Gotham earned its third road win in a playoff match, the most of any team in league history.
• Gotham recorded its first-ever win over the Kansas City Current.
• Gotham improved to 8-1-4 when scoring the opening goal this season, including a 6-0-3 mark when scoring first on the road.

Gotham FC at Kansas City Current

Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025

12:30 p.m. ET kickoff

CPKC Stadium; Kansas City, Missouri

Attendance: 11,500

Weather: 31 degrees, blustery

Gotham FC (0, 1, 0, 1 – 2)

Kansas City Current (0, 1, 0 , 0 – 1)

Scoring Summary

Gotham FC

68’ - Jaedyn Shaw (Emily Sonnett)

120+1’ - Katie Stengel (Jaedyn Shaw)

Kansas City Current

90+6’ - Ellie Wheeler (Lo’eau LaBonta)

Gotham FC (4-3-3): 30 – Ann-Katrin Berger (GK); 3 – Bruninha (103’ 5 — Josefine Hasbo), 6 – Emily Sonnett, 27 – Jess Carter, 4 – Lilly Reale; 7 – Jaelin Howell, 11 – Sarah Schupansky (90’ 19 — Kayla Duran), 16 – Rose Lavelle (C); 23 – Midge Purce, 2 – Jaedyn Shaw, 18 – Gabi Portilho (90+4’ 28 — Katie Stengel)

Unused substitutes: 1 – Shelby Hogan (GK); 9 – Esther González, 13 – Ella Stevens, 21 – Sofia Cook, 22 – Mandy Freeman, 34 – Khyah Harper

Head coach: Juan Carlos Amorós

Kansas City Current (4-3-3): 23 – Lorena (GK); 4 – Hailie Mace, 7 – Elizabeth Ball (72’ 5 – Ellie Wheeler), 27 – Kayla Sharples, 18 – Izzy Rodriguez; 10 – Lo’eau LaBonta (C), 21 – Ally Sentnor, 14 – Claire Hutton; 8 – Nichelle Prince (68’ 13 – Haley Hopkins), 9 – Bia Zaneratto (114’ 22 — Bailey Feist) , 99 – Debinha (85’ 47 – Alex Pfeiffer)

Unused substitutes: 81 – Laurel Ivory (GK); 2 – Regan Steigleder, 11 – Rocky Rodriguez, 19 – Mary Long, 24 – Gabrielle Robinson

Head coach: Vlatko Andonovski

Stats Summary

GFC / KC

Expected Goals: 0.86 / 1.17

Shots: 15 / 16

Shots on Goal: 5 / 8

Saves: 7 / 3

Corners: 2 / 4

Fouls: 15 / 15

Offside: 2 / 2

Misconduct Summary

Gotham FC

90+10’ - Emily Sonnett (Yellow Card - Reckless Offense)

120+2’ - Jaedyn Shaw (Yellow Card - Reckless Offense)

Kansas City Current

81’ - Bia Zaneratto (Yellow Card - Reckless Offense)

94’ - Haley Hopkins (Yellow Card - Reckless Offense)

Officials

Referee: Elijio Arreguin

Assistant Referee 1: A. Max Smith

Assistant Referee 2: Jeremy Smith

4th Official: Gerald Flores

VAR: Greg Dopka

AVAR: Tom Felice