Gotham Needs Draw for First Shield; Reign Need Win for Playoff Berth
Three teams battle for the final postseason spot on November 1, while Gotham FC faces Utah Royals for the league's top trophy.
By Luca Harrison ·
The NWSL regular season concludes on Sunday, November 1, with a slate of matches that determines the league's hierarchy.
Gotham FC enters the final day with a three-point lead over the San Diego Wave. A draw against the Utah Royals guarantees Gotham the NWSL Shield for the first time in club history. The Wave must beat Bay FC while Gotham loses to claim the trophy, though the odds favor Gotham given their current standing.
Gotham faces a personnel challenge on the final day. Star forwards Jaedyn Shaw and Rose Lavelle missed last week's 2-1 victory over the Orlando Pride. Shaw was an unused substitute in the prior 1-0 loss to the Washington Spirit. The two players combined for 22 goal contributions this season, making their absence a significant variable for Gotham's attack against a Utah team that has a middling defensive record.
The final playoff spot is contested by three teams. Seattle Reign sits in eighth place with 42 points. A win over the Orlando Pride secures the Reign's berth. North Carolina Courage trails by two points, and Denver Summit trails by three. The Courage and Summit play each other on Sunday, creating a direct tiebreaker scenario for the last spot.
Seattle Reign holds the most straightforward path. They face an Orlando Pride team that is already eliminated from playoff contention. The Reign have relied heavily on their defense this season, conceding 33 goals against 39.96 expected goals. This defensive resilience has kept them in the top eight despite inconsistent attacking output.
North Carolina Courage and Denver Summit have different needs. The Courage must win and hope the Reign drop points. The Summit, playing in their inaugural season, must win and see the Reign lose. Lindsey Heaps has been a key factor for Denver, recording seven goals and three assists since her midseason arrival.
Ashley Sanchez of the North Carolina Courage has a chance to rewrite league records on Sunday. She currently has 20 goals. A goal against the Summit would set the NWSL single-season scoring record. A goal or assist would also break Temwa Chawinga's record for single-season goal contributions. Sanchez's conversion to left wing has transformed her role, contributing to nearly half of the Courage's goals this campaign.
The Courage's reliance on Sanchez is evident in their statistics. They rank in the bottom six of the league for goals conceded. If they fail to finish in the top eight, it will highlight their defensive limitations despite Sanchez's offensive output. The match cards for Sunday include Gotham vs. Utah Royals at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN and Seattle Reign vs. Orlando Pride at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
