Gotham FC was one of the favorites to claim the NWSL Shield heading into the season. Although Juan Carlos Amoros’ side were unable to take on Orlando Pride, they can still have a good end to the season.

A playoff win would see The Bats claim back-to-back titles and add luster to a season in which they were the bridesmaids rather than the bride. A loss in the Challenge Cup final to one goal from Alex Morgan was annoying. There was even more frustration for the New Jersey team as they finished second in the inaugural NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.

Gotham has relied on him to be stingy in the back, which has covered the cracks in the attacking areas. While this has led some critics to call them boring at times, it could be huge during a playoff run. Attack wins games, defense wins titles.

Why didn’t Gotham FC win the NWSL Shield?

Simply put, Gotham didn’t score enough goals this season. Their total of 37 puts them behind Orlando, Washington Spirit and KC Current. In 14 games, Gotham either played zero or scored once.

However, these goalscoring issues were not necessarily always of concern, as Gotham was fastidious about keeping opponents out. The signing of legendary German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger early in the season added even more quality to an already strong backline. US internationals Tierna Davidson and Jenna Nighswonger have both had strong seasons. The mid-season arrival of lioness Jess Carter further strengthened the already formidable backline. In just a few months, Carter has firmly established himself as the first-choice defender.

From an attacking perspective, although Esther Gonzalez, Rose Lavelle and Ella Stevens have all scored seven goals apiece – a respectable total – looking at the numbers reveals the full story. Gonzalez played eleven games without scoring. Lavelle has scored just twice since returning from Olympic glory with the USWNT. Stevens bagged five of her goals in red-hot form between May and June.

As a result, they needed other players to step up. This simply didn’t happen. Apart from Yazmeen Ryan and Lynn Williams – who have each scored four times in the regular season so far – no other Gotham FC player has found the net more than twice.

Gotham will also highlight a devastating period from late March to April where they earned just two points out of a possible twelve. Collecting even a few of those extra ten points on offer could have meant the Shield would come to New Jersey.

Who can play Gotham FC in the NWSL Playoffs?

Due to the tightness of the NWSL table, Gotham FC could still finish in three different positions depending on the results this weekend.

If the results are positive, Gotham can climb to second place and face seventh place, currently Portland Thorns. The Goths achieved two shut-outs against the Thorns this season, with 1-0 and 2-0 victories respectively.

If they remain in third place, Gotham FC will face the sixth seed, currently Chicago Red Stars. Gotham has already defeated the Red Stars three times in 2024, twice in the NWSL and once on penalties in the Summer Cup.

However, due to similar congestion in the bottom half of the play-off spots, the sixth seed could be Portland or even Bay FC. Gotham has a strong record against Bay FC, with two regular season wins, including a 5-1 thrashing at Red Bull Arena in October.

If Gotham drops to fourth place, the picture changes as they move to the other side of the draw. This means another clash with North Carolina Courage. Gotham and NC each have one win against each other in their respective home games this season. Winning that match would also likely mean a semi-final clash against Shield holders Orlando Pride.

When will the NWSL Playoffs take place?

The NWSL Playoffs begin on Saturday, November 9, with the Grand Final taking place on November 23.