Rodman vs Gotham: NWSL Final defines champion with key figures

Loving: Players Are Key in the NWSL Final

Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós has stated that “the main characters” will be the ones to decide the NWSL championship on Saturday against the Washington Spirit at PayPal Park.

The players are the protagonists of the game.

Juan Carlos Amorós, Gotham FC Coach

Amorós explained that, as coaches, they try to create situations for the players to respond similarly. However, he emphasized that the game is unpredictable and that the responsibility lies with the players. Trinity Rodman, from the Washington Spirit, is a central figure in the final, not only for her team but for the entire NWSL. Her contract expires next month and, according to sources, she has more lucrative offers from teams in England and the USL Super League, a first division league in the United States. The current salary cap of the NWSL makes it difficult for them to match these offers.

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Rodman has had little participation since suffering a sprain of the medial collateral ligament in her right knee last month. She returned to the field in the last five minutes of last week’s semi-final. Spirit coach Adrian Gonzalez reported that Rodman is “available and ready to compete”, but did not specify how much the American international might play. Rodman participated in the Spirit’s training session on Friday with a black sleeve over his right knee, as he has done in recent weeks. The day before, Rodman expressed optimism about his health.

I feel great. Obviously, having another week under my belt is a positive thing. I am very grateful to be able to play those minutes last weekend. Everything has gone very well and I hope we do very well this weekend and I can play again, hopefully a few more minutes.

Trinity Rodman

The NWSL championship on Saturday will be the 44th meeting between the Spirit and Gotham, the most matches between two teams in league history. Both teams also faced each other in last year’s semifinals, with the Spirit winning in a penalty shootout. Gotham won the 2023 NWSL championship as the team with the lowest seed (No. 6) in the playoffs, just like this year, being the No. 8 seed. Gotham is also the Concacaf champion after winning the inaugural regional event in May. The Spirit won their only NWSL championship to date in 2021. They are in their second consecutive NWSL championship after losing to the Orlando Pride in last year’s final. González highlighted that the Spirit plans to continue with what they have done throughout the year. The Spirit’s season began with González as an assistant and Rodman’s return from a back injury, among other absences. Rodman’s health for Saturday remains a concern, and defender Gabby Carle will miss the match due to a hamstring injury suffered in the quarter-finals.

We take risks every day. We are going to do the same thing we have been doing. That is part of our identity, so we don’t have to change anything right now. The team knows what we have to do and the things that are working.

Adrián González, Coach of the Washington Spirit

Gotham has been less consistent this season despite winning the Concacaf title. They lost against the North Carolina Courage on the last day of the regular season, falling to the eighth and final position before defeating the Kansas City Current in the quarterfinals.

It’s been a bit of a roller coaster season. I think we’ve had a lot of high moments, a lot of low moments, a lot of crazy trips. But I think with all that, it has allowed us to rotate the squad a lot. A lot of people stepping up, playing different roles. I think going through that adversity throughout the season has allowed us to be ready for these moments.

Rose Lavelle, Gotham Midfielder