SAN DIEGO — NJ/NY Gotham FC snagged the 2023 National Women's Soccer League Championship title on Saturday night, winning 2-1 over OL Reign.
World Cup winner Esther González scored the go-ahead goal on a header in first-half stoppage time, and the NWSL championship match was in its first few minutes when Megan Rapinoe hobbled off the pitch in a heartbreaking end to her career.
Following a VAR review in stoppage time, Gotham goalie Mandy Haught was issued a red card for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and sent off, giving the Reign a chance to tie it.
With defender Nealy Martin taking over in goal, the Reign's Rose Lavelle took a free kick just outside the box but it bounced off a Gotham player along the wall. Gotham was able to run out the clock and marked its first NWSL title with a wild celebration near midfield.
The non-contact injury to Reign star Rapinoe took some of the wind out of the crowd at San Diego State's Snapdragon Stadium.
Rapinoe broke toward Maitane Lopez of Gotham, who was dribbling outside the penalty area, and suddenly went down in the third minute. After staying on the ground for a few minutes, Rapinoe needed help from two trainers for the long walk along one end line and then down the sideline to the Reign's bench.
Krieger ran over and hugged her former teammate from the U.S. Women's National Team.
The field at Snapdragon appeared in better shape than it was on Sunday night, when the Reign beat the San Diego Wave to advance, some 24 hours after a home San Diego State football game. Still, there were several areas where the grass remained chewed up.
With the score tied at 1 in stoppage time, González, who helped Spain win the Women's World Cup, slipped between two defenders and headed a perfect corner kick by Midge Purce into the corner of the net out of the reach of Reign goalie Claudia Dickey.
Purce also fed Lynn Williams in front of the net for the opening goal in the 24th minute.
The Reign tied it in the 29th minute when Lavelle dribbled in and beat Haught.
The game also marked the final professional match for OL Reign legend Megan Rapinoe and Gotham FC's Ali Krieger on Nov. 11. The two-time World Cup winners are both retiring after long club careers and an NWSL title has eluded both of them until now.
Shortly after its start, Rapinoe suffered a non-contact injury which took her out of the game. Bethany Balcer replaced Rapinoe.
After the half, Rapinoe returned to the field on crutches. In a post-game interview, Rapinoe said she likely tore her Achilles tendon.
Rapinoe announced in July that she is stepping away from her career on the field, one that garnered two World Cup titles, an Olympic gold medal and an Olympic bronze.
OL Reign playoff history
The OL Reign has been a consistent factor in the NWSL playoffs, but the team has never won a championship. This year's run to the championship will mark the club's first appearance in the final since 2015.
Here's how the OL Reign have fared in the playoffs in previous seasons:
- 2022: Lost in semifinals
- 2021: Lost in semifinals
- 2020: NWSL playoffs canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
- 2019: Lost in semifinals
- 2018: Lost in semifinals
- 2017: Missed playoffs
- 2016: Missed playoffs
- 2015: Lost NWSL Final
- 2014: Lost NWSL Final
- 2013: Missed playoffs