A last-minute strike punches Gotham's NWSL Championship ticket

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Gotham ousts Orlando behind last-minute Jaedyn Shaw strike

No. 8 Gotham secured their second playoff upset on Sunday, as Jaedyn Shaw’s last-minute strike earned the Bats a dramatic 1-0 win over defending champs No. 4 Orlando.

• The Pride had more chances through the closely contested match, but Shaw’s direct kick in second-half stoppage time ended their repeat bid.

• “I’m grateful that everybody trusts me to step up in those moments,” Shaw said postgame. “It starts on the training field, I feel the staff has really helped me improve my free kicks and all set pieces.” (Watch full highlights)

Availability report: 2025 MVP finalist Esthér returned to Gotham’s starting lineup after missing last weekend’s quarterfinal due to injury, giving the Bats a boost while Orlando ultimately failed to overcome star striker Barbra Banda’s midseason SEI.

• “I think we were so resilient this season,” Pride captain Marta said after the match. “Many people believed that we couldn’t go so far, especially after we lost Barbra.”

• “They have a good team, but we needed to be just a little bit more aggressive overall,” she added. “We needed to put the ball in.”

Up next: Sunday’s result sends Gotham to the 2025 NWSL Championship in San Jose, where they’ll face the Washington Spirit on Saturday.

Washington downs Portland to book 2nd straight NWSL Championship trip

No. 2 Washington is headed back to the NWSL Championship, booking a second straight trip after silencing No. 3 Portland in front of another sellout home crowd.

• The Spirit began the match on the front foot, with forward Gift Monday notching her second postseason goal in the 27th minute before midfielder Croix Bethune’s 83rd-minute empty-net strike secured the 2-0 result.

• “I feel like we've been in this steady spot,” Bethune said postmatch. “These past two games honestly have been the best soccer that we've played.” (Watch full highlights)

Availability report: Centerback Tara McKeown returned to Washington’s lineup after exiting last weekend’s quarterfinal with an ankle knock, with second-half sub Trinity Rodman also making her return while defender Gabby Carle remained sidelined.

• “I was playing, and that’s that,” Mckeown told reporters after putting in a 90-minute shutout performance.

High praise: “I think Spirit is definitely the better team — I think that can kind of go without being said,” Portland captain Sam Coffey reflected. “They outplayed us for sure, and I think they definitely have all the pieces to go and win the whole thing.”

Trinity Rodman returns from injury with her future in question

Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman is back in action, subbing into Saturday’s win in the 90th minute as she continues to rehab a sprained MCL — and her future remains in question.

• “It felt amazing,” she said afterwards. “If I get 30 seconds, or if I get 90 minutes, it feels great to be out there.”

• Rodman will hope for more involvement in next week’s title game, taking the pitch for the Spirit in her final match under contact before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Big picture: The USWNT standout’s extension negotiations have apparently made it all the way up to the league commissioner, with Rodman garnering interest from multiple UK clubs willing to outspend the NWSL’s current salary cap restrictions.

• “Right now, my head’s completely down, and it’s been so distracting being injured, and that’s all I can really think about,” Rodman said on Saturday, addressing the reports. “Once we get this championship, then I can start making decisions and figuring out what next year looks like for me.”

Holding the line: With rumors swirling, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman defended the salary cap this week, telling CBS Sports that it’s “the reason our league is the most competitive league in the world.”

Notre Dame runs off the rails as Michigan steps up

Michigan’s women’s basketball program is on the rise, as the No. 14 Wolverines avenged their 2025 NCAA tournament exit with Saturday’s 93-54 blowout win over No. 18 Notre Dame.

• Michigan sophomore Olivia Olson led the game in scoring with 20 points, with the bench going on to outscore the Fighting Irish 38-2 while limiting star Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo to just 12 points.

• “We knew exactly what Michigan was going to do,” said Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey. “We did not have any type of fight defensively, and that’s where we have to start.” (Watch full highlights)

Big picture: Quietly recruiting five-star talents like Olson and Syla Swords in 2024, Michigan is entering the 2025/26 season with added depth and experience.

• “That’s why I committed to Michigan,” Swords told JWS at October’s Big Ten Media Day. “That’s why so many of us came there, because we wanted to be part of something new, part of something that’s never been done.”

KC Current boss Vlatko Andonovski shifts to sporting director role

2025 Coach of the Year finalist Vlatko Andonovski is moving on up, leaving his position as Kansas City Current head coach to become the team’s full-time sporting director.

• Andonovski had been juggling both jobs since joining the Current in October 2023, going on to lead the team to their first NWSL shield this season.

• “It’s vital to move into this role to keep growing this club with the aim of being a perennial contender on the global stage and a top developer of talent,” Andonovski said in Friday’s statement.

Big picture: With the administrative switch in the works prior to last weekend’s playoff upset, Andonovski will now join the hiring committee tasked with appointing his successor.

• KC head of soccer operations Ryan Dell will take over as GM, with former GM Caitlin Carducci departing the club after one year at the helm.

Manchester Derby win shoots City up the WSL table

Manchester City is sitting four points clear atop the WSL table, after Saturday’s dramatic 3-0 win over crosstown rival Manchester United extended their advantage over second-place Chelsea.

• The home side scored all three goals in the first half, with Rebecca Knaak putting City ahead in the 26th minute, Khadija Shaw adding to the lead in the 43rd, and Lauren Hemp returning from injury to seal the deal in first-half stoppage time.

• “It’s so nice to be back,” Hemp said postgame. “Today we showed the mentality that I said at the start we needed to show.” (Watch full highlights)

Availability report: United were without goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, after the USWNT star suffered a fractured eye socket in November 8th’s loss to Aston Villa.

• “She should be fine, it’s just trying to make sure she doesn’t get another knock in that area,” United manager Marc Skinner said, noting she could return as soon as the club’s Champions League match on Wednesday.

Quote of the day

USWNT and Chicago star Mallory Swanson
posting to social media to announce the birth of her daughter on Friday.