Team News: González Returns to Lineup Against Washington

Spanish star and NWSL scoring leader Esther González will suit up this afternoon for Gotham FC’s much-anticipated 12 p.m. showdown with the Washington Spirit at Sports Illustrated Stadium, re-entering coach Juan Carlos Amorós’s starting lineup after returning from a standout 2025 UEFA Women’s Euro performance.

The Golden Boot winner at the European Championships, González returns to the NWSL, where she also leads the scoring race, hoping to add to her 10-goal haul against her team’s East Coast rival. The 32-year-old Spaniard netted two goals in Gotham FC’s 3-0 win over Washington in April.

Gotham FC (5-5-4, 19 points) needs more of that González magic when it takes on third-place Washington (8-4-2, 26 points). She is one of three additions to Amorós’s team after last week’s 1-1 draw at Chicago, with Geyse and Mandy Freeman also returning to the fold.

The match will be nationally televised by ESPN and streamed on ESPN+. A Spanish language broadcast will be carried by ESPN Deportes.

González will lead the line with Geyse, who comes back to the starting lineup after a 30-minute stint at Chicago. The Brazilian forward has two goals and an assist in the NWSL regular season.

Fresh off her first pro start and first pro goal, Khyah Harper remains in the starting XI for Gotham, shifting to the flank with González’s return. Harper nearly added an assist to her stellar performance last weekend, but the referee determined Rose Lavelle was offside by a hair after she scored a breakaway goal.

Lavelle takes up her familiar midfield position, making her 19th start since joining Gotham before the 2024 campaign. The 30-year-old American will pair up with standout rookie Sarah Schupansky, who notched her fifth assist in the Chicago game to set a new high for Gotham FC rookies. The Pitt grad is tied for the NWSL lead in assists.

The 25-year-old Jaelin Howell continues her streak of starting every game for which she’s available, moving to the holding midfield role in Gotham’s trio. The Florida State graduate has played all but one minute of her previous 13 games.

Freeman’s return to the lineup moves Jess Carter to center back, pairing with Emily Sonnett. Rookie Lilly Reale, another NWSL rookie of the year candidate, ranks in the top 10 in the league in passes and crosses into the penalty area, progressive passes, tackles won and dribblers tackled, reflecting the all-around versatility of her game.

Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is chasing her fifth shutout of the season in her 37th regular season start for Gotham FC.

Today’s player selections reflect one of the most available rosters of the year for Amorós. Defenders Bruninha and the newly signed Kayla Duran are on the substitutes bench alongside midfielders Sofia Cook, Nealy Martin and Taryn Torres and forwards Gabi Portilho, Midge Purce and Katie Stengel. Shelby Hogan is the reserve goalkeeper.

Defender Tierna Davidson and forward Ella Stevens were previously listed as out through injury on the NWSL player availability report.

Gotham FC lineup vs. Washington Spirit30 – Ann-Katrin Berger (GK)

22 – Mandy Freeman (c)

6 – Emily Sonnett

27 – Jess Carter

4 – Lilly Reale

7 – Jaelin Howell

11 – Sarah Schupansky16 – Rose Lavelle

34 – Khyah Harper

9 – Esther González

10 – Geyse

Substitutes: 1 – Shelby Hogan (GK); 3 – Bruninha, 8 – Taryn Torres, 14 – Nealy Martin, 18 – Gabi Portilho, 19 – Kayla Duran, 21 – Sofia Cook, 23 – Midge Purce, 28 – Katie Stengel