The Spanish Gotham FC lifted its first title in the United States Women's League (NWSL) this Saturday by beating OL Reign in San Diego by 1-2 after Esther González's decisive goal.
The Granada player became the hero of her team in a match marked by the injury of Megan Rapinoe, who in her farewell to soccer said goodbye to her legendary career in tears in the 3rd minute.
In this "Spanish Gotham" with a lot of Spanish flavor in its squad and coaching staff, Esther González and Maitane López became the first Spanish players to win the NWSL while Juan Carlos Amorós did the same as the first Spanish coach to be crowned in the United States women's league.
The MVP award of the final went to Midge Purce, author of the two assists on Gotham's two goals. It was just before the captain, Ali Krieger - who also hung up her boots today - raised the NWSL title to the sky of California to the delirium of fans who suffered last year by being the worst team in the entire league.
The first goal came in the 24th minute when Gotham dominated. Purce overflowed on the right and no one could stop her. She left three rivals on the way until she stepped into the area where she handed the ball to Lynn Williams to finish with her right foot at will with a cross shot without giving Claudia Dickey any options.
Williams has scored a total of eight goals this season, establishing herself as the top scorer of the now NWSL champion team.
OL Reign reacted very quickly and just four minutes later equalized. A defensive sloppiness by the New Yorkers allowed Rose Lavelle to sneak between the center backs and stand face to face with Mandy Haught, easily beating her in the definition.
8 minutes before the break came a double opportunity for Gotham. First Williams caressed his second goal, but the ball hit the post, and the rebound was taken by Delanie Seehan, but it found the crossbar. It was a warning before the second materialized, which came with a header from González.
The Spanish forward took advantage of a corner to win the game in the second added minute, leaving her team ahead just before going to the locker room.
It was the third goal for the world champion in her eight games played since her arrival in Gotham last summer. González thus completed an unforgettable 2023 year with the World Cup with Spain and the American league already in his record.
The second half had opportunities for both teams, but neither was able to convert the chances they had. The clearest was in the last minute of the game for OL Reign, when Lavelle had the equalizer in his boots but the ball went a few centimeters from the crossbar.
In the review of the previous action it was found that Gotham's goalkeeper, Haught, had touched the ball with her fists outside the area, granting a last chance for Seattle and leaving her team with ten.
Farrelly had to play goalie. The other nine outfield players stood on the barrier and the ball, also shot by Lavelle, crashed into them. Next was the final whistle, which proclaimed Gotham NWSL champions for the first time in their short history.
The legend Megan Rapinoe said goodbye to soccer and sought to close her impressive professional career with a title with OL Reign. But no one expected that her goodbye would barely last three minutes.
Double world champion, gold in London 2012 and Ballon d'Or in 2019, Rapinoe slipped alone, without any opposition, and reached for her left leg. A little more than two minutes had passed and, after the evaluation of the medical staff, she had to be replaced.
Through tears and with the stands applauding her, she went with help to the bench. Before her, she received a hug from her friend - and today her rival - Ali Krieger. Her partner, former WNBA player Sue Bird, was present in one of the boxes and she could not hide the sadness on her face when she saw Rapinoe leaving the field.
