"Underdog, my ass!" - Jaedyn Shaw, as Gotham FC advance to NWSL Semifinals
With an historic upset against this Kansas City, Gotham advance to the NWSL semifinals for the third time in three years.
The haters said they couldn’t do it… but the haters were INCORRECT!
After a disappointing second half to the NWSL season, Gotham FC settled for the last spot in the playoffs, which included a trip to face off against the Kansas City Current. The Current was coming off a record-breaking season, winning the Shield with a 21 point gap between them and the second place Washington Spirit. A quarterfinal win was all but certain for this juggernaut team.
But not so fast, because Gotham is not your typical 8th seed team.
With a roster that boasts international talent like German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, English defender Jess Carter, and Brazilians Gabi Portilho and Bruninha, along with U.S. superstars like Rose Lavelle and Emily Sonnet, Gotham has been a force (albeit an unpredictable one) to reckon with this season.
But there was one snag — Gotham has never beaten Kansas City, and Kansas City has not lost a home match all year. But as Jaedyn Shaw so aptly put it: “Underdog, my ass.”
What happened!?
In the NWSL, the results of the day can almost never be predicted, and this is especially true in the postseason. This particular matchup became a bit more unpredictable given both teams were hampered by roster-changing injuries.
For Gotham, the team kept star striker Esther benched due to a lingering hip injury. Ella Stevens also did not see the pitch as she continues to make her way back from a months-long injury herself. The team was also missing Geyse with a knee injury, as well as Tierna Davidson who has been out all season due to an ACL tear.
Kansas City was also hamstrung by injuries, missing star forward Michelle Cooper and Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga — the latter being a significant blow to the team that has relied on Chawinga’s skill to turn games on their head over the last couple of seasons.
Even so, both teams have some of the deepest rosters in the league, and fans were treated to an exhilarating game in freezing conditions at CPKC Stadium.
A dominant Gotham kept the score 0-0 in the first half, but pulled ahead with a second-half goal from Shaw in the 68’. Eventually, Kansas City would find their stride , taking it to extra time with a goal from Ellie Wheeler in the 90’ +6’. Then, in the final minutes of added time, it was Gotham’s very own Katie Stengel who played hero, scoring for Gotham and avoiding the dreaded penalty shootout.
What are they saying!?
Relief was the word top of mind for Stengel at the post-game press conference.
“[I’m] relieved – oh, thank god,” Stengel said. “It was a big, long game, but it was the best we’ve played all season long that I’ve seen. Everyone was working well together. To go through such a high, then such a low, it was nice that we ended how we deserved.”
On her goal, Stengel had this to say:
“I saw chaos, and then I saw Jaedyn flick me the ball into space, and I just thought, please, hit this with all your might and keep it on target. Then came relief – everyone running toward me – and I was afraid they were going to hit my head because I still have staples. It was adrenaline that kept it under control. Like I said before, it was relief – because you get played into certain moments and can feel the pressure of those moments. But when you have the backing of your entire team, it’s more like, okay, I just have to do this for everybody. Anyone who would have been in that position would have finished it. We would have all been so excited. To get that opportunity is incredible, and I’m just happy to be part of this group.”
Shaw, who just recently joined Gotham following a blockbuster trade from North Carolina, was all smiles.
“We’ve underperformed the last few games so we were coming into this game like we have to show up and bring everything that we can individually and as a team, and I think that really showed out there,” Shaw said. “We stuck together through the highs and lows and it really showed how much chemistry [we have], how much we want to work for each other, and this is just the beginning for this team.”
Shaw continued to say that the backline played “lights out,” the team executed the game plan, and were all on the same page. She added:
“It’s so crazy. I love this team – it’s been so fun being a part of this club. Coming into this game, we all knew we were going to bring everything we had. We honestly felt good. The vibes were good, we felt confident about the game plan and we ultimately executed basically everything we wanted to. I’m really happy to be part of this team, and it’s only the beginning. This is the first game of three, so we’re going to keep pushing.”
Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós had nothing but praise for his group tonight, at some points struggling to put his emotions into words: “In the end, I love it but also hate it because it’s so emotional.”
He began by graciously congratulating Kansas City on their historic season, including his belief that Vlatko Adonovski will win Coach of the Year.
“They’ve been amazing all year and thoroughly deserved to win the [NWSL] Shield,” he said. “They’ve all been great. So even though we won today, I want to begin by congratulating them for the fantastic season they’ve had.”
As for his squad, Amorós believed that the team was “the best version” of themselves today. Even though many wrote them off, internally, the team knew the spirit and quality they have, and the vision and work that happens behind the scenes. “We wanted to show that out there today,” he said.
After giving Shaw and Stengel their much deserved kudos for being the difference makers, Amorós made sure to note that it took everyone today from the starters to the game changers to the players on the bench to the support staff, and that is what it will take to go all the way.
“We knew it’s not a game of 11 players. We have 25. Some were called upon, and the players who came off the bench were really, really good and helped the team. It wasn’t easy to come into the game, especially after conceding a goal. Jaedyn was great, and Kalya [Duran] indifferent positions helped the team, flicking the ball into space.”
Amorós concluded with this message to the fans:
“From here, I want to congratulate all my team, the club, every staff member and especially the fans. They’ve been amazing this year. Unfortunately, we couldn’t play this game at home in front of them. There were a few here, but I know whether it was at a viewing party or at home, they were supporting, suffering and enjoying – and this win is definitely for them.”
What are the stats and fun facts!?
Possession: KCC 42.5%, GFC 57.5%
xG: KCC 1.17, GFC 0.86
Total shots: KCC 16 (8 on target), GFC 15 (5 on target)
Passing Accuracy: KCC: 69.1%, GFC 78.3%
Shaw led Gotham players in shots with 4 (2 on target). She also led the team in chances created (5). Jaelin Howell led field players in recoveries (16) and led the team in tackles won (6).
Forward Katie Stengel scored the latest game-winning goal in NWSL playoff history and her second career playoff game-winner in extra time.
Midfielder Jaedyn Shaw netted her first NWSL playoff goal, opening the scoring for Gotham FC in the 68th minute. Shaw also became the seventh player in league history to record a goal and an assist in the same playoff match.
Defender Emily Sonnett registered her first career playoff assist. She also established a new league record with her 15th career playoff start and extended her league record for most playoff minutes played to 1,499.
Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós became the fifth coach in NWSL history to reach three consecutive semifinals.
What comes next!?
With this upset, Gotham heads to Orlando to take on the defending champions for a spot in the finals. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET next Sunday, with coverage on ABC and streaming on ESPN+.
The last time Gotham was the last seed in the playoffs, they won the championship. What do you say, is another magical run in their future?