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NJ/NY Gotham FC will face a visit from Portland Thorns FC on Friday night, one of their few remaining contenders for the 2026 NWSL Shield. The home team currently sits at the top of the table with 44 points, seven ahead of both Portland and the Washington Spirit. There is then a triumvirate of teams behind those two on 36 points: Utah Royals FC, the North Carolina Courage, and San Diego Wave FC.
A big storyline for Gotham is the absence of Rose Lavelle. After leaving Sunday's game against Angel City FC in the 37th minute due to a nasty fall onto the back of her head, acting Head Coach Shaun Harris confirmed in the team's media availability that Lavelle is currently in concussion protocol and will be unavailable Friday. That is a huge blow not just to Gotham but for Lavelle herself. A player perpetually dealing with injuries, she was on pace to set a new career high for matches played in a season. While she can still do so, concussions are unpredictable, and her return date is TBD.
Meanwhile, Portland has been on a wild ride of games since the last meeting between these two sides. From scoring in the opening minute in a 5-1 loss to Utah, to nearly blowing a three-goal lead in a 4-3 win over Boston Legacy FC, to a 2-1 win over the Orlando Pride on a stoppage-time game-winner, getting a read on this Thorns team is very difficult. It is hard to pinpoint who the Bats will face. They've managed three wins in three games since losing Olivia Moultrie to an ACL injury, but have looked far from convincing in all three of those victories.
This is Gotham FC's last home match before embarking on a three-match run of away games. Getting a win in this match will give them a very nice buffer in the Shield race, which allows them at least one slip-up in the upcoming run of games. Here is a preview of Friday's match.
Gotham FC vs Portland Thorns preview
Date
The game will take place on Friday, August 28.
Time
The fixture is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM ET.
Location
The match will be played at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.
How to watch
The game can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
Weather
Comfortable temperatures but higher humidity look to be the theme for Friday night's game. Temperatures will be 78 degrees at kickoff, only dropping to 76 by the end of the match. Humidity will hover around 65% for the whole match. Wind speeds will be around 6 mph with a 10% chance of rain.
Injury report
Sofia Cook (lower leg), Kayla Duran (knee - SEI), Rose Lavelle (head), and Emily Sonnett (knee - SEI) are all out due to injury. Additionally, Ann-Katrin Berger (head) is questionable.
Players to watch
How Gotham lines up in Lavelle's absence remains to be seen, and that is why fans should watch multiple players. One possibility could see Guro Reiten step up to the forward line with Jaedyn Shaw moving to the 10 role. Reiten is currently tied for the second-most assists amongst fullbacks this season at four, only behind Racing Louisville FC's Lauren Milliet, who has six. A move to the forward line could result in a different look in the attack, as the Bats will seek to get back on the scoresheet after last week's 0-0 draw.
Fans should also watch Portland's MVP contender Pietra Tordin. She continues to impress. Tordin currently sits on seven goals and nine assists and could become the first player in league history to finish a season with 10+ goals and 10+ assists. If she does, and Portland ends up in the top four, it would be difficult to argue her case for MVP even with so many options that are emerging as this season progresses.
Prediction
Despite being at home and Portland's shaky play in recent matches, this will not be a walk in the park. The visitors have the talent to dominate their opponents on any given matchday, even without Moultrie. A 1-0 win is the prediction, with Sam Kerr getting back on the scoresheet and helping Gotham FC get one step closer to their first NWSL Shield in club history.
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