Match preview: Seattle Reign vs. Gotham FC

Seattle Reign continue their push for the NWSL playoffs on Sunday when they face NJ/NY Gotham FC on the road. Their match kicks off at 1 p.m. PT and will air on FOX 13+ locally, as well as NWSL+ and Paramount+.

Just three games remain after this weekend, and the NWSL table is tight. The Reign entered the weekend in fourth place, sitting just one point behind Gotham. A win could propel them into third. On the other side, just four points separate fourth place and eighth place.

Points really matter right now, and the Reign will have tough competition this weekend to try to get a result. Gotham is unbeaten in six straight games, having won four of their last five.

"We know tomorrow we're playing against a team who are in form, but we're coming here to try and get a positive result—because that'll set us up really well for the end of the season," head coach Laura Harvey said in a pre-match press conference.

Head-to-Head

• The Reign are 12-10-9 all-time against Gotham; that includes a 6-3-4 record on the road.
• The Reign opened the 2025 NWSL season against Gotham, coming from behind to secure a 1-1 draw.

2025 and recent results

• The Reign and Gotham are one point apart, with Gotham (9-6-7) at 34 points and the Reign at 33 points (9-7-6).
• The Reign have scored 28 goals and conceded 26. Gotham has scored 31 and conceded just 18.
• Last week, the Reign came from behind to earn a 2-1 home win against the Courage.
• Gotham is unbeaten in six straight games and last week beat Portland 3-0 at home. They also had a midweek Concacaf W Champions Cup match against Washington that ended 0-0.
• The Reign are 4-4-3 on the road, while Gotham is 4-4-3 at home.

Offseason and midseason moves

• Gotham saw 14 players depart this offseason due to free agency, trades, and retirements, including Crystal Dunn, Jenna Nighswonger, Yazmeen Ryan, Lynn Biyendolo, and Delanie Sheehan.
• Gotham also sent Cassie Miller to the Reign in the trade that included Biyendolo, and saw defenders Maitane López and Sam Hiatt choose other teams in free agency.
• The team brought in several new players to fill these gaps, including former Reign midfielder Jaelin Howell and rookies Lilly Reale and Sarah Schupansky, who have all had strong seasons.
• They also added Brazilian forwards Gabi Portilho from Corinthians and Geyse from Manchester United.
• More recently, Gotham added forward/midfielder Jaedyn Shaw and Danish midfielder Josefine Hasbo.

Gotham players to watch

Rose Lavelle: After missing the first half of the season due to an ankle injury, Rose Lavelle is back to her usual world-class midfielder status. Lavelle has three goals and two assists in her last five NWSL matches. She's earning assists with a backheel pass and scoring goals like this:

Laura Harvey certainly understands the dangers that Lavelle presents. Can Sam Meza and her midfield partner limit her influence?

Jaedyn Shaw: Jaedyn Shaw was traded to North Carolina at the start of the 2025 season, and things didn't quite click at the Courage. A month ago, the Courage sent Shaw to Gotham for a record-breaking $1.25 million transfer fee. She's already notched a goal and an assist in just 188 minutes at Gotham. Shaw has lined up as the central attacking midfielder and on the left wing for Gotham, where she has a lot of freedom to roam inside and combine with teammates. The Reign will need to watch her movement closely and communicate often.

Esther: Center forward Esther is one of the most dangerous players in the box. Her movement and timing are instinctual, and there's arguably no better player in women's soccer right now when it comes to finishing in the box. Esther has 13 goals and 1 assist this season. Only one of those goals has been scored from outside the box. Two have been scored on corner kicks. Four of Esther's goals have been headers. The Reign need to be aware of her movement on crosses and set pieces.

What to watch

A stingy defense: Gotham has conceded only 18 goals this season, second only to the Kansas City Current. They've given up multiple goals only four times this year, losing all four of those matches. This is primarily the result of a really organized defensive team, from front to back. Gotham doesn't dominate any defensive categories, like interceptions, blocks, or tackles.

Gotham is also a team that loves to press opponents. They are second in the league in fouls committed, a sign of their desire to close down and disrupt opponents. They've also drawn the most fouls, a sign of the danger that Gotham presents in transition and the skilled attackers they have.

Expansive play: One of Gotham's trademarks under head coach Juan Carlos Amoros is that they like to stretch teams and play expansive soccer. They like to put a lot of players high, causing defenses to either concede space behind or drop and leave space in front. The Reign can counter this by getting their pressure higher up the field right — and recovering with a lot of numbers if Gotham breaks their press. And then, as the Reign have been trying to do all season, they want to break Gotham down in transition.

"We want to set the tone without the ball, make it as difficult as possible for them, and then show our quality when we have it," Harvey said. "We've got to bait them to play where we want them to play, win it off them, and hurt them in those moments."

Early momentum: The Reign are undefeated (5-0-1) when leading at halftime, including a 3-0-0 record on the road. Since the summer break, the Reign have struggled to dominate their opening halves. They've been able to find a lot more rhythm in the second half thanks to tactical shifts and substitutions, but against a tough defensive team like Gotham, the Reign are really going to want to create some early chances. The longer the game goes on, the harder it may be.

Injury / Availability Report

Seattle Reign

OUT: Lynn Biyendolo (knee), Ryanne Brown (leg), Veronica Latsko (SEI – lower leg), Cassie Miller (D45 – leg)

Gotham FC

OUT: Tierna Davidson (SEI - knee), Geyse (knee), Gabi Portilho (thigh), Ella Stevens (knee), Taryn Torres (SEI - knee)

How to watch

The Reign face Gotham at 1 p.m. PT on Sunday, October 5. The match will air on NWSL+ and Paramount+, as well as on Fox 13+ in the Seattle area.