NWSL Playoffs favorites KC Current stunned by Gotham FC in quarterfinals

Kansas City Current’s championship credentials are impressive. Not only was Current the No. The NWSL Shield was awarded to the team that had the best regular season performance. The Current won the Shield in record-breaking time, and finished 21 points ahead of the Washington Spirit in second place. They also have a large group of attacking players, which should be sufficient to beat any opponent, even if it is a quarterfinal against the bottom-seeded postseason team. Playoffs, however, follow a different set rules. Only in the playoffs would the Current be forced to prove their worth against an out-of-form Gotham FC side that had slid all the way down to eighth place on Decision Day – and only in the playoffs would their hopes of winning their first-ever NWSL Championship over on the very day their quest began. Gotham, the same team that lost to North Carolina Courage in dismay a week earlier, scored in the 121st to eliminate the Current. The No. 1 vs. No. It was not a good idea to use the 8 tag here. Jaedyn, from Gotham, said as much after the match, “Underdog My Ass.” We are not underdogs. The Current played without Temwachawinga (the winner of the Golden Boot and MVP for last season), Michelle Cooper (the rising star in U.S. national team), as well. Bia Zanderatto, who was to start with a sprained lateral collateral ligament, also missed out. Gotham were also without Esther Gonzalez. Gonzalez scored about 40% of Gotham’s goals in this season. Both sides were affected by the conditions, which made it a difficult match. CityThe game was dominated by poor quality shots. Neither side scored more than the 0.7 predicted goals per team until the first goal. Shaw’s strike ended up coming from a rare defensive lapse from the Current – Emily Sonnett pinged a ball from the midfield line towards Shaw, the Current defense out of sorts in a rare moment. Shaw managed to shoot despite a body being on her. Her team now leads.

Shaw’s goal was a sign that Gotham had made progress, particularly in the attack department. The 2023 NWSL Champions have relied too much on Gonzalez. They were unable to replace Lynn Biyendolo’s and Yazmeen Ryan’s output for most of the season. Shaw’s arrival, in September, added another gear to a unfinished attack, and allows Juan Carlos Amoros, head coach, to temporarily solve some issues ahead of an offseason that could be important regardless of postseason outcomes. Gotham then paid for their wasted efforts at the end and a mistake by goalkeeper Ann Katrinberger proved costly. Ellie Wheeler was the surprise hero for the Current, scoring in the sixth minutes of stoppage-time. Wheeler found the sliver space left by Ann-Katrinberger’s goalpost that she had not occupied and slipped the ball into the net to force extra time.
Berger made up for her mistake by making a huge save on Zaneatoo’s attempt during the first half extra time. The game became more even as it progressed. The two teams generated 0.61 expected goals. This game was ready to be won by either team with the smallest of margins. Things eventually tilted in Gotham’s favor – just as the fourth official indicated there would be two minutes of stoppage time before a penalty shootout proved to do the trick, Berger launched the ball from the halfway line and it eventually led to Katie Stengel scoring from close range. It was not the first time Stengel managed such a feat – she scored in extra time in Gotham’s semifinal win over the Portland Thorns in 2023, en route to the game’s win in the Championship.

Gotham are now in the semifinals of the NWSL Championship for a third time. They will face Orlando Pride this Sunday. Both teams are aiming to return to the NWSL Championship, which will be held at San Jose PayPal Park on November 22.

2025-11-09 21:54:32