SAN JOSE, Calif. – Rose Lavelle was already a queen of international soccer.
Now she’s finally an NWSL champion after leading Gotham FC to the title, scoring the lone goal in a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit on Saturday.
The 30-year-old star of the US women’s national team fired an 18-yard shot with the left foot in the 80th minute. Bruninha, who came off the bench in the second half, dribbled the ball down the left flank and rolled the ball over the top of the penalty area. Lavelle ran over from the right side and fired a shot into the left side of the net.
Washington had a chance to equalize in the third minute of second-half stoppage time when Gotham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger spilled a catch attempt outside the penalty area. The Spirit’s Paige Metayer got to the ball first, but her right shot went wide to the left.
Gotham FC completed a surprise run through the playoffs after sneaking in as the eighth and final seed. They upset top-seeded Kansas City Current in the quarterfinals 2–1 with a goal in the 121st minute before chasing down fourth-seeded Orlando Pride 1–0 in the semifinals on a goal in second-half stoppage time.
Lavelle played for the U.S. Women’s National Team when it won the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, scoring a goal in the final, and she added a gold medal to her trophy case at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Her only previous appearance in an NWSL final was with OL Reign in 2023, when they lost 2-1 to Gotham in the final despite a goal from Lavelle.
The Cincinnati, Ohio native was named Most Valuable Player of the finals.
On Saturday, Lavelle hit the opening kickoff a few feet forward, and teammate Jaedyn Shaw ran over and immediately fired a shot toward Washington’s goal, with Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury far off her line. Had the effort been on target, Gotham would have been ahead within five seconds, but the ball sailed harmlessly wide of the left goal post.
In the fifth minute, Gotham forward Esther Gonzalez gave the Spirit another scare when she looked to score, but the play was called back for offside.
Neither team had another significant chance until the 45th minute, when Shaw slotted the ball to Gonzalez near the penalty spot. Gonzalez almost looked open at the net, but Washington defenseman Tara McKeown made a last-ditch block.
Washington got its first corner kick of the night in the 67th minute, then got two more in quick succession, but none of them generated a scoring opportunity.
The game could have been the NWSL farewell for Washington forward Trinity Rodman.
Rodman came roaring in from the crowd in the 57th minute. She was out for a month with a knee injury before returning to the field for the final few minutes of the Spirit’s 2-0 win over the Portland Thorns in the semi-finals last weekend.
On Saturday, Rodman wore a wrap around her right knee and did not appear to be running at full speed.
The 23-year-old American forward is weighing offers from teams in other leagues, with NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman vowing Thursday that her league will “fight” to keep her.
Gotham FC won the title for the second time, adding to the 2023 crown. The Spirit, who won their only championship in 2021, fell in the finals for the second year in a row.
