Sunday's (GMT) game saw a dramatic end to not only the league but the careers of two legends of the game as new champions were crowned.
Tuesday 14th November 2023
After the summer's World Cup campaign, the NWSL was just as competitive, with two of six playoffs being decided on the last regular match day. San Diego Wave F finished top of the table and were the NWSL Shield winners but a semi-final defeat against OL Reign proved that the regular season table-toppers are not always guaranteed to reach the Championship final; adding to the unpredictability of the league.
This year saw Gotham FC and OL Reign battle it out at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego (on November 11, 2023) with the aim of winning their first Championship title in front of a record crowd of 25,011:
Gotham FC:
Nickname: the Bats
Head Coach: Juan Carlos Amoros (named NWSL Coach of the Year)
2022 standing: 12th with 17 losses out of 22 games
2023 NWSL position: 6th with 7 losses out of 22 games
OL Reign:
Nickname: the Bold
Head Coach: Laura Harvey
2022 standing: 1st with 4 losses out of 22 games
2023 NWSL position: 4th with 8 losses out of 22 games
The Final:
OL Reign 1-2 Gotham FC
This dramatic final saw NY Gotham FC sign off the season in a 'storybook' ending winning their first-ever NWSL championship.
Reign started the game with a strong offensive attack, sending a few early warning signs to the defence of the Bats however, in the 5th minute Rapinoe sustained a non-contact injury (ankle) and had to be subbed off in the final game of her career.
The scoring was opened in the 25th minute for Gotham with a skilful play initiated by Purce who sliced through Reign's defence to send the ball across to Williams who was left open in attack. Williams struck a low ball into the bottom corner to put her team in front; this was Williams' second goal in a final.
The score line was evened by a goal from Lavelle (Reign) in the 29th minute after a one vs one battle with Haught in goal which was won by the midfielder.
During the 47th minute of the first half- thanks to stoppage time- Purce played the ball to Esther- 2023 World Cup champion with Spain- who headed the ball into the goal; Esther becomes the fifth player to score in an NWSL final in the same year as becoming a World Cup champion.
Gotham FC’s defence held strong to hold off any other shots from OL Reign in stoppage time to prevent a late equalizer; however, after VAR ruled that Haught had handled the ball outside of the 18-yard box, getting her a red card in the seventh minute of added time, midfielder Martin was called upon- for the second time this year- to stand in goal as Gotham were out of substitutes. A free kick in the 12th minute of added time by Lavelle was denied by the Bats' defence and that became the last chance of the game.
Coming away with the win, Gotham completed an impressive turn-a-round from season-to-season in NWSL history after finishing bottom of the table last season and missing out on the playoffs.
Speaking after the victory, Gotham FC captain- Ali Krieger- explained the mindset her team held through the final: “I think we were in full control. We’re constantly focused and aware. Today the word was concentration, and making sure that we’re concentrating on both sides of the ball. And I think in that moment that was a great moment for us to really prove our preparation.”
Player of the match, Midge Purce, reflected on the team's victory after trailing in the season for so long:
“Everything that the team has right now, we really earned it. It’s an incredible thing to feel and see all the work that everyone put in come to fruition.”
Game Breakdown:
OL Reign | minute | Gotham FC |
Substitution - B. Balcer (In)/M. Rapinoe (Out) | 6 | |
24 | Goal - L. Williams (A: M. Purce) | |
Goal - R. Lavelle (A: B. Balcer) | 29 | |
47 | Goal - Esther González (A: M. Purce) | |
69 | Substitution - S. Farrelly (In)/Y. Ryan (Out) | |
Substitution - Quinn (In)/V. Latsko (Out) | 76 | |
82 | Substitution - A. Long (In)/D. Sheehan (Out) | |
Substitution - E. Bennett (In)/J. Fishlock (Out) | 85 | |
Yellow Card - E. Sonnett | 87 | |
89 | Substitution - K. Stengel (In)/Esther González (Out) | |
97 | Red Card - M. Haught | |
98 | Yellow Card - Juan Carlos Amorós |
Match Statistics:
OL Reign | Gotham FC | |
47.5 | Possession (%) | 52.5 |
7 | Total Shots | 9 |
2 | Shots on target | 6 |
68.8 | Passing accuracy (%) | 74.4 |
Player of the Match (MVP): Midge Purce (Gotham FC)
Gotham's win ends their year on a three-match winning streak, a new club record as the longest winning streak since July 9th-23rd 2016
Lynn Williams played in her fifth NWSL final which ties her with Kristen Hamilton for the league record but becomes the first player to start in all her finals (this game brought Williams' playoff minutes up to 1,221 which breaks her own record)
Midge Purce now joins Lauren Holiday (2014) as the only two players to create 2 assists in an NWSL final as well as being the only two MVPs (player of the match) not to score
Esther Gonzalez is the third international player (?)
Looking ahead:
This year's final meant the end of an era for Gotham's Ali Krieger and OL Reign's Megan Rapinoe- both two-time World Champions- as they both bowed out of the sport after decorated careers and helping change women's football in America and arguably helping start the change worldwide. Whilst Kriegra ended her decorated career with one last title, 300 playing minutes in the league and becoming the joint longest-tenured player in league history alongside teammate Kristie Mewis- after 10 seasons in the league- Rapinoe faced a cruel ending to a legendary career, both on and off the pitch.
Rapinoe:
"I think even for me stepping away, there's no sense of 'Damn, like, I wish things were different.' It's just like, this is what we have built. This is what the players who played in my generation, this is part of our legacy and what we've left behind and what is now here for the kids to take and do with it what they want."
The 2024 season will see the return of Utah Royals and newcomers Bay FC (California) to create a 14-team league and with over a million fans attending this year's competition attendances are set to rise further, breaking more league records.
