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It has not been a great week for NJ/NY Gotham FC. The club put Bruninha and Jordynn Dudley on the SEI list, suffering an ACL tear and a fractured foot, respectively. This will impact the starting lineup and the depth of the squad as the Bats fight for their first NWSL Shield in club history. But to do that, they must win on the road on Saturday against the Washington Spirit.
The Spirit is never an easy opponent, but Gotham FC won the match in July when the club hosted the Queens Classic. It was a narrow 1-0 win at Citi Field, but that game truly highlighted that the Bats were here to compete in 2026. Moreover, the team is currently unbeaten against the D.C. side over the last four fixtures, including last year’s big NWSL Championship win. But with recent injuries, can they extend the streak to five games?
Looking at the roster, Midge Purce playing as the right winger is not a drop-off for that position. But the question is whether Jaedyn Shaw is available, as she was reported to have suffered a minor injury, which forced her to withdraw from the USWNT U-23 team. If she cannot play or start, Guro Reiten would be expected to start as the left winger. If that were to happen, fans might expect to see Leila Ouahabi as the left-back and Mandy Freeman as the right-back.
If the rest of the lineup remains unchanged, then this is still a fantastic lineup for Gotham against Washington. There is plenty of talent on the squad despite some departures like Lilly Reale and Sarah Schupansky throughout the year. But boy, with these two injuries, having someone like Reale still on the team would have really helped in the NWSL Shield chase.
How to watch Gotham FC and the Spirit, time, and more
Date
Time
12:30 PM ET
How to watch on TV and streaming
CBS on TV and streaming on Paramount+
How to listen
Unknown
How to watch in person
Fans can travel to Washington, D.C. to catch the match at Audi Field.
How to follow
Supporters can follow the game on Gotham’s social media accounts, the NWSL feed on the NWSL website, and other websites like ESPN.com.
Final notes
Looking at the Shield race, if Gotham FC wins and San Diego Wave FC loses their match, then the Bats will win the Shield. Hence, fans will want to pay attention in the evening hours. Anything less than three points would put pressure on the NJ/NY team in the final two weeks of the season.
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