Gotham FC delivered one of the wildest finishes of the NWSL weekend on Saturday at Icahn Stadium, roaring back from two goals down to beat Seattle Reign FC 3-2 in a fixture that looked settled for long stretches before turning completely on its head in stoppage time.
Seattle had done the hard part early and seemed firmly in control by the interval. Mia Fishel opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 14th minute, calmly converting to give the visitors the lead. The Reign doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute when Maddie Mercado found the net, capping an efficient first-half display that punished Gotham despite the home side seeing plenty of the ball.
By halftime, Seattle were 2-0 up and in a strong position, even as Gotham continued to dictate territory and possession. The hosts would finish with 71.5 percent of the ball, 18 total shots and nine efforts on target, numbers that underlined how much of the second half was played in Seattle’s half. With the summer heat also forcing extra hydration breaks, the contest had a stop-start rhythm at times, but Gotham gradually turned pressure into belief.
The comeback began in the 81st minute through Esther González, whose finish gave Gotham the foothold they had been searching for. From there, the home side poured forward with urgency, pinning Seattle deeper and deeper. Gotham’s control had been obvious throughout the half, but now the end product arrived when it mattered most.
Deep into stoppage time, Esther struck again in the 90’+4′ to level the match at 2-2 and ignite Icahn Stadium. Even then, Gotham were not done. With Seattle reeling and the home side sensing a famous turnaround, Rose Lavelle produced the decisive moment in the 90’+7′, completing the comeback and sealing a breathless 3-2 victory.
It was a crushing finish for Seattle, who were clinical in the opening half but could not withstand the late wave of Gotham pressure. The visitors managed just 28.5 percent possession, eight shots and two efforts on target, yet for much of the afternoon they looked on course to leave New York City with all three points.
Instead, this fixture will be remembered for Gotham’s relentlessness and late-game conviction. Esther González changed the match with goals in the 81st and 90’+4′, while Lavelle’s 90’+7′ winner provided the final twist in a dramatic NWSL contest. For Gotham, it was a statement result built on sustained pressure, attacking depth and belief to the very end.
Goal scorers: Mia Fishel 14′ (pen), Maddie Mercado 22′ for Seattle Reign FC; Esther González 81′, 90’+4′ and Rose Lavelle 90’+7′ for Gotham FC.
