Resilience is the word of the week for Gotham FC's playoff journey

NJ/NY Gotham FC has had an up-and-down season. The team ended the regular season in eighth place and with a 9-8-9 record. The ladies dropped too many points at home. Plus, sometimes they struggled to score multiple goals or even at all, especially when Esther González was quiet in front of the net.

However, every time Gotham FC has gone through tough times, they have always figured out a way to go through great periods. Inconsistency might have been a theme throughout the year, but resilience was another. The Bats have proven this through their performances in the NWSL Playoffs.

Entering the postseason, there were some questions about whether they would win any matches, especially against the Kansas City Current. The top-seeded team and NWSL Shield winners were difficult to beat in 2025, and Gotham knew that on their end. They lost both matches in the regular season, including the recent 2-0 loss. Between that and the fact that the NJ/NY side struggled to end the regular season, there was doubt.

Gotham FC is defined by resilience

But that did not matter. Once the playoffs start, a reset can happen. And that is what has happened with Gotham. They first beat Kansas City in extra time to secure a spot in the semifinals. Then, they fought a challenging battle with the Orlando Pride. Both teams were strong defensively, and it took until the dying second of the game for the Bats to take the lead.

In the end, the 1-0 win was another upset since the Pride ended the year in fourth place. Although, the teams were much closer in the standings compared to the Current. Regardless, Orlando was the defending champion and was still a fantastically talented side. The fact that the Bats won not one, but two games, against challenging teams on the road, just highlights the resilience that was seen at times in the regular season.

Gotham’s two upsets are why they are heading back to the NWSL Championship for the second time in three years. They exemplified that just because they struggled in the games before the postseason, it does not mean they cannot perform and be successful. In addition, the ladies conveyed that the roster had the capability to be better than they were during the regular season. Many believed that they had more in them and should have won more matches.

Moreover, it was not a walk in the park either. These past two games had periods where the Bats had their backs against the wall. There were times when it felt like they might lose the matches. However, the ability to overcome adversity, the overall resilience, and the Bats’ belief in one another have led to another NWSL Championship appearance.

Midge Purce even mentioned the resilience of the team in the postgame show after the win over Orlando. She recognized that they did not always play their best, but they got the job done in the end.

Truthfully, no matter what happens on Saturday, Gotham FC will be defined by the resilience of the team. But beating the Washington Spirit, especially in a neutral site, is possible.