Overview:

After defeating the top-seeded Kansas City Current in the opening round of the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs, eighth-seeded Gotham FC continues its postseason march Sunday, aiming to book a second trip to the NWSL Championship in three seasons when it faces the defending champion Orlando Pride at Inter&Co Stadium.

ORLANDO, Fla. – After defeating the top-seeded Kansas City Current in the opening round of the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs, eighth-seeded Gotham FC continues its postseason march Sunday, aiming to book a second trip to the NWSL championship game in three seasons when it faces the defending champion Orlando Pride at Inter&Co Stadium.

Kickoff for the semifinal is set for 3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+.

The winner will meet the Washington Spirit, which recorded a 2-0 home victory over the Portland Thorns on Saturday.

Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amoroso said that Sunday’s affair would be a “difficult game, playing the champions from last year of the double the shield, the championship, in their home ground.”

There are always difficult conditions here in Orlando as well with the weather – something that we need to be fully prepared for,” he added. “It’s going to be a big challenge, but at the same time one that the team is prepared for. We’ve worked really hard this week to make sure that we are ready to be ourselves out there and to play the game that we know we can play and hopefully get one of those tickets to go to the final. I think now Washington is confirmed to be there, so hopefully we can also secure that spot.”

This will be Gotham FC’s third consecutive semifinal appearance – all on the road. The club earned its first semifinal victory in 2023, when Katie Stengel’s extra-time winner against the Portland sent Gotham to its first NWSL championship game, where it went on to capture its first league title.

Stengel delivered another vital tally in this year’s playoffs, scoring the decisive goal deep into stoppage time of extra time to lift Gotham past Kansas City, 2-1, at CPKC Stadium last week. The result marked the first time an eighth seed defeated the top seed since the playoff field expanded to eight teams last eyar and handed Kansas City its first home loss of the 2025 campaign after setting NWSL records for most regular season goals, points and wins. The triumph was also Gotham’s first in club history over the Current, and it set a league record as the club’s third road playoff win.

Jaedyn Shaw opened the scoring for Gotham midway through the second half with her first career playoff goal before Kansas City equalized in stoppage time. Stengel’s 121st-minute strike – her second career extra-time playoff winner – set an NWSL record for the latest game-winning goal in postseason history.

“The last game [against Kansas City] was a super big win,” defender Lilly Reale said. “We’re just trying to carry that momentum [into] this game, and then figure out things that we can capitalize on and clean up. It’s really just keeping that momentum going and putting our best foot forward into these playoffs.”

Fourth-seeded Orlando advanced with a 2-0 quarterfinal win over the Seattle Reign at Inter&Co Stadium. Haley McCutcheon put the Pride ahead in the 21st minute, and a stoppage-time penalty from Luana sealed the victory. The reigning champions enter Sunday’s semifinal unbeaten in their last six matches across all competitions.

Sunday’s meeting is the first postseason matchup and 28th all-time contest between the two clubs. Gotham holds the all-time series edge at 11-9-7, including an 8-4-2 record on the road against the Pride. In its most recent meeting at Inter&Co Stadium, Gotham earned a 2-0 victory behind goals from Esther González and Jaelin Howell.