# 2023 NJ/NY Gotham FC season

The 2023 NJ/NY Gotham FC season was the team's 14th season as a professional women's soccer team and eleventh participating in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States. Gotham FC defeated OL Reign in the championship, winning the team's second championship (and the first under the current name and under its participation with the NWSL).

## Background
### Coaching changes

On November 1, 2022, Gotham FC hired Houston Dash manager Juan Carlos Amorós. He succeeded interim head coach Hue Menzies, who had served since August 13, 2022.

### Notable offseason transactions

On November 15, 2022, Gotham FC made the first domestic free agency acquisition in the league's history by signing Washington Spirit and United States women's national soccer team defender Kelley O'Hara to a two-year contract. O'Hara had last played for the club from 2013 to 2017, before its rebranding from Sky Blue FC.
On November 16, goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris retired to join Gotham FC's front office.
On November 28, Gotham signed free-agent goalkeeper Abby Smith of Portland Thorns FC to a three-year contract. Smith would become Gotham's starting goalkeeper in eight of its first nine matches across competitions, winning week 7 NWSL Player of the Week and NWSL Save of the Week honors for her performance in a May 14 shutout draw against Orlando Pride.
On December 1, free-agent defender Estelle Johnson signed a two-year contract with North Carolina Courage.
On January 12, 2023, the day of the 2023 NWSL Draft, Gotham FC traded its second-overall selection to Kansas City Current in exchange for forward Lynn Williams, who had missed most of the 2022 season with a hamstring injury. Williams was in New Zealand for training camp with the United States national team during the trade and had not been aware of Kansas City's intent to trade her. The terms of the trade required Williams's approval, which she granted with three minutes to spare before the league deadline. Williams would go on to score more league goals by May than any Gotham player had scored in the 2022 season.
At the draft, Gotham selected Hermann Trophy finalist and Florida State 2021 national championship winner Jenna Nighswonger with the fourth-overall pick. Nighswonger scored her first NWSL goal in the 5th minute of a 2–1 road win against Chicago Red Stars on May 7. Gotham had acquired the pick by trading forward Paige Monaghan, $150,000 in allocation money, and a 2023 international roster spot to Racing Louisville FC.
Gotham invited retired player Sinead Farrelly to training camp and subsequently signed her to a one-year contract with a second-year option on March 25. Farrelly had not played in the NWSL since 2015. She then was selected for and debuted with the Ireland national team in a friendly against the United States on April 8, 2023.

### New kit

Gotham announced new home football kits on March 6, 2023, featuring a teal lightning-bolt motif on black. The kits retained the Algorand front-of-shirt sponsorship, and Carmax and Ally Financial sleeve sponsorships. Like all NWSL kits, Gotham's are manufactured by Nike, Inc.

## Summary
### March/April

On March 23, three days before Gotham's season-opening, defender Ali Krieger announced on CBS Mornings that she would retire after the season's conclusion.
Gotham FC opened its season on March 26 with a 2–1 win on the road in front of a sell-out crowd at Angel City FC, in a match that also featured the league's first use of video assistant referee in the regular season that denied the Los Angeles team a goal. Newly signed striker Lynn Williams scored her first goal for Gotham in the 64th minute of her debut with the club, despite injuring her arm in the first half and requiring a splint to be applied mid-game. The goal held up as the match winner. Williams celebrated her goal by gesturing bat ears on her forehead and flapping her arms, along with the rallying call "go bats". Williams' teammate Smith later adopted the celebration after scoring a goal. When asked about playing through the injury in a post-match interview, Williams said, "It's an arm. I need my legs to play soccer, not my arm." Her performance earned Williams the season's first NWSL Player of the Week award.
Gotham lost its first match of the season 0–2 in its home opener against OL Reign on April 1, following a 90-minute weather delay. The match featured the Gotham debut of Sinead Farrelly for her first NWSL match since 2015, and the home return of Allie Long following her maternity leave in the 2022 season.
Returning to the road, Gotham defeated Orlando Pride 2–0 on April 15, registering 20 shots and 10 corners while Abby Smith was credited with 5 saves in the clean-sheet performance. Both of Gotham's goals were scored during 18 minutes of second-half stoppage time: a penalty kick from a handball foul in the box confirmed via video assistant referee in the 10th minute of stoppage and scored by Margaret Purce, and a second goal scored by Williams in the 17th minute of stoppage. Each goal successively set the league record for latest goals scored in a match.
On April 19, Gotham won its 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup opening match against Washington Spirit 1–0 on a 56th-minute Williams goal. Then on April 23, in its third match in 7 days, Gotham defeated North Carolina Courage 1–0 at home thanks to an 80th-minute Williams goal. The match was delayed by weather for two hours at halftime. Williams's goal was her 60th, making her the third player after Sam Kerr and Christine Sinclair to reach the mark; Sinclair had done so on the same day in a match against Racing Louisville FC hours before. Williams won her second NWSL Player of the Week award of the season for her performance.
Gotham ended April with its second loss, conceding two late goals to Kansas City Current's Debinha in an 0–2 shutout on April 30 at the Current's Children's Mercy Park.
On May 3, the NWSL named Williams to its Best XI of March/April.

#### Transactions

On April 25, Gotham FC waived backup goalkeeper and 2022 NWSL Draft selection Hensley Hancuff.
On April 27, Gotham FC traded midfielder Victoria Pickett to the North Carolina Courage in exchange for $200,000 in allocation money. Gotham had acquired Pickett in August 2022 from Kansas City Current in exchange for $200,000 in allocation money and a first-round selection in the 2023 NWSL Draft, and had re-signed Pickett to a three-year contract in December 2022.

### May

On May 3, Michelle Betos made her first start of the season in goal for a 1–1 Challenge Cup draw against North Carolina. After a third-minute Courage goal by Mille Gejl, Betos saved an 11th-minute penalty kick that resulted from a handball call in the box confirmed by the video assistant referee. In the 65th minute, the referee also showed Betos a red card that was overturned by the video assistant referee. Williams, entering as a substitute, scored the equalizer in the 74th minute.
On May 7, Williams scored her 103rd total goal or assist in all competitions during Gotham's 2–1 win over Chicago Red Stars, surpassing Sam Kerr for the league record. Gotham followed the win with a draw at home against Orlando Pride, where Abby Smith held Orlando scoreless in a six-save effort that earned her both NWSL Player and Save of the Week honors.
On May 21, Gotham defeated OL Reign 4–1 to ascend to the top of the table, completing a worst-to-first turnaround from their last-place finish in the 2022 season and marking their first time leading the league's standings since 2013. Williams scored in the game, which took place on her 30th birthday, marking the third time she scored a goal on her birthday in her NWSL career. Bruninha and Taylor Smith each scored their first goals of the season in the match, and Nighswonger scored her second. Williams won her third NWSL Player of the Week award of the season for her performance. Gotham's fifth win and 16th point in the standings also exceeded the team's totals of four wins and 13 points during the 2022 season.
On May 23, Gotham announced that it had sold more than 10,000 tickets for its June 4 match against San Diego Wave FC, breaking the team's all-time ticket sales record of 9,500 set by then-Sky Blue FC's August 18, 2019, match against OL Reign.
On May 24, Gotham announced a partnership with S.L. Benfica that would allow Benfica to recruit Gotham FC players and for Gotham to access Benfica's academy and development systems.

### June

On June 4, Gotham broke their all-time home attendance record, drawing a crowd of 15,058 spectators for their match against San Diego Wave FC on the team's Pride Night. This marked the first time the club sold tickets to the upper bowl of Red Bull Arena and beat the previous attendance record of 9,415 spectators, set on August 18, 2019, while facing OL Reign. The match ended in a 0–1 loss after Makenzy Doniak scored a goal for San Diego in the 46th minute.
On June 7, the league postponed Gotham's Challenge Cup match that evening against Orlando Pride to August 9 due to poor air quality in the New York City metropolitan area.
On June 25, Gotham signed midfielder Mana Shim to a short-term injury replacement contract. Shim had last played for the Houston Dash in 2018 and was, with Farrelly, one of the whistleblowers of the 2021 NWSL abuse scandal. Shim's contract would allow her continue to chair the United States Soccer Federation's participant safety taskforce.

## Style of play

In its first season under manager Juan Carlos Amorós, Gotham deployed a 4–1–4–1 formation or a pressing 4–3–3 formation. The team engaged in high-pressing tactics, allowing opponents to pass the ball across their defensive half but countering aggressively when they attempt to progress the ball, and through the first half of the season had led the league in defensive actions outside of their own defensive third. Gotham's backline and goalkeeper also played relatively far up the pitch positionally. The tactic required a high defensive work rate from its wingers to provide coverage. In Gotham's May 21 win against OL Reign, Williams — a career center forward with North Carolina Courage playing as an attacking right winger for Gotham in the match — was also credited with 10 defensive recoveries, the most among Gotham's field players in the match.

## Stadium and facilities

Gotham FC continued to play in Red Bull Arena, their full-time home venue since 2020, and train at Red Bulls Training Facility in East Hanover, New Jersey, continuing an agreement with New York Red Bulls established in 2020. Gotham's preseason training camp took place at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, from February 8 to March 3.

## Broadcasting

On April 1, 2023, Gotham FC announced that MSG Networks would broadcast eight home matches during the 2023 regular season. These were in addition to the league's national broadcast and streaming agreements with CBS and Paramount+ in the United States, and with The Sports Network in Canada.

## Team
### Staff

    As of April 20, 2023

### Squad

    As of July 8, 2023.
| # | P. | Nation | Name | Birthday (age) | Since | Previous team | Notes |
| 1 | GK | USA | Michelle Betos | (1988-02-20)February 20, 1988 (aged 35) | 2022 | Racing Louisville FC | |
| 4 | GK | USA | Abby Smith | (1993-10-04)October 4, 1993 (aged 29) | 2022 | Portland Thorns FC | |
| 24 | GK | USA | Mandy Haught | (1998-11-03)November 3, 1998 (aged 24) | 2023 | Piteå IF | |
| 2 | DF | USA | Imani Dorsey | (1996-03-21)March 21, 1996 (aged 27) | 2018 | Duke University | |
| 3 | DF | BRA | Bruninha | (2002-06-16)June 16, 2002 (aged 20) | 2022 | Santos FC | INT |
| 5 | DF | USA | Kelley O'Hara | (1988-08-04)August 4, 1988 (aged 34) | 2023 | Washington Spirit | |
| 11 | DF | USA | Ali Krieger | (1984-07-28)July 28, 1984 (aged 38) | 2022 | Orlando Pride | |
| 12 | DF | USA | Kristen Edmonds | (1987-05-22)May 22, 1987 (aged 35) | 2022 | Kansas City Current | |
| 14 | DF | USA | Nealy Martin | (1998-04-22)April 22, 1998 (aged 24) | 2022 | Racing Louisville FC | |
| 15 | DF | MEX | Sabrina Flores | (1996-01-31)January 31, 1996 (aged 27) | 2020 | Sevilla FC | |
| 21 | DF | USA | Ellie Jean | (1997-01-31)January 31, 1997 (aged 26) | 2022 | PSV Eindhoven | |
| 22 | DF | USA | Mandy Freeman | (1995-03-23)March 23, 1995 (aged 28) | 2017 | University of Southern California | |
| 6 | MF | USA | Allie Long | (1987-08-13)August 13, 1987 (aged 35) | 2021 | OL Reign | |
| 7 | MF | USA | McCall Zerboni | (1986-12-13)December 13, 1986 (aged 36) | 2020 | North Carolina Courage | |
| 8 | MF | USA | Taryn Torres | (1999-08-23)August 23, 1999 (aged 23) | 2021 | University of Virginia | SEI |
| 13 | MF | USA | Mana Shim | (1991-09-25)September 25, 1991 (aged 31) | 2023 | Houston Dash | IRP |
| 17 | MF | USA | Delanie Sheehan | (1999-01-13)January 13, 1999 (aged 24) | 2021 | University of California, Los Angeles | |
| 18 | MF | USA | Yazmeen Ryan | (1999-02-25)February 25, 1999 (aged 24) | 2023 | Portland Thorns FC (via Angel City FC) | |
| 19 | MF | USA | Kristie Mewis | (1991-02-25)February 25, 1991 (aged 32) | 2021 | Houston Dash (via San Diego Wave FC) | |
| 32 | MF | USA | Jenna Nighswonger | (1994-02-25)February 25, 1994 (aged 29) | 2020 | Florida State | |
| 33 | MF | IRL | Sinead Farrelly | (1989-11-16)November 16, 1989 (aged 33) | 2023 | Boston Breakers | |
| 77 | MF | ESP | Maitane López | (1995-03-13)March 13, 1995 (aged 28) | 2023 | Atlético Madrid | INT |
| 10 | FW | USA | Lynn Williams | (1993-05-21)May 21, 1993 (aged 29) | 2023 | Kansas City Current | |
| 16 | FW | ISL | Svava Rós Guðmundsdóttir | (1995-11-11)November 11, 1995 (aged 27) | 2023 | SK Brann | INT |
| 20 | FW | USA | Taylor Smith | (1993-12-01)December 1, 1993 (aged 29) | 2022 | North Carolina Courage | |
| 23 | FW | USA | Margaret Purce | (1995-09-18)September 18, 1995 (aged 27) | 2020 | Portland Thorns FC | |
| 25 | FW | NGA | Ifeoma Onumonu | (1994-02-25)February 25, 1994 (aged 29) | 2020 | OL Reign | |
| 28 | FW | USA | Katie Stengel | (1992-02-29)February 29, 1992 (aged 31) | 2023 | Liverpool | LOAN |
* 1 2 3 INT: International player
* ↑ SEI: Added to the season-ending injury list
* ↑ IRP: Injury replacement player
* ↑ LOAN: On loan

## Competitions
### NWSL Challenge Cup

Gotham FC finished third in the East Division during the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup and did not advance. Gotham FC returned to the East Division in the 2023 tournament.

#### East Division standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | T | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | NC | NJY | WAS | ORL |
| 1 | North Carolina Courage | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 5 | +10 | 11 | Advance to knockout stage | — | 1–1 | 6–0 | 0–0 |
| 2 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 11 | | 2–0 | — | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| 3 | Washington Spirit | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 13 | −3 | 9 | | 1–2 | 4–2 | — | 4–2 |
| 4 | Orlando Pride | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 15 | −10 | 2 | | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | — |

#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Stadium | H | A | A | A | H | H |
| Result | W | D | W | L | W | D |
| Position | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 2 |

### Regular season

Gotham FC finished the 2022 National Women's Soccer League season in last place.

#### Regular season standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | San Diego Wave FC (S) | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 31 | 22 | +9 | 37 | Playoff semifinals and W Champions Cup |
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 42 | 32 | +10 | 35 | Playoff semifinals and W Champions Cup |
| 3 | North Carolina Courage | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 33 | Playoff quarterfinals |
| 4 | OL Reign | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 29 | 24 | +5 | 32 | Playoff quarterfinals |
| 5 | Angel City FC | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 31 | 30 | +1 | 31 | Playoff quarterfinals |
| 6 | NJ/NY Gotham FC (C) | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 25 | 24 | +1 | 31 | Playoff quarterfinals |
| 7 | Orlando Pride | 22 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 27 | 28 | −1 | 31 | |
| 8 | Washington Spirit | 22 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 26 | 29 | −3 | 30 | |
| 9 | Racing Louisville FC | 22 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 25 | 24 | +1 | 27 | |
| 10 | Houston Dash | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 18 | −2 | 26 | |
| 11 | Kansas City Current | 22 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 30 | 36 | −6 | 26 | |
| 12 | Chicago Red Stars | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 28 | 50 | −22 | 24 | |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: October 15, 2023. Source: NWSLsoccer.com

#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| Stadium | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H |
| Result | W | L | W | W | L | W | D | W | D | L | D | L | W | D | W | L | D | D | W | L | L | D |
| Position | 3 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 |

### Playoffs
## Statistics

    As of matches played November 11, 2023.
Goalscorers :
| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | NWSL | Cup | Playoffs | Total |
| 10 | FW | USA | Lynn Williams | 7 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| 32 | MF | USA | Jenna Nighswonger | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 23 | FW | USA | Margaret Purce | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 29 | FW | USA | Katie Stengel | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | DF | BRA | Bruninha | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | MF | USA | Allie Long | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | MF | USA | McCall Zerboni | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 18 | MF | USA | Yazmeen Ryan | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | FW | ESP | Esther Gonzalez | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 20 | FW | USA | Taylor Smith | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | MF | USA | Meleana Shim | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | MF | USA | Delanie Sheehan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 22 | 10 | 5 | 37 |
Clean sheets :
| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | NWSL | Cup | Playoffs | Total |
| 4 | GK | USA | Abby Smith | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 24 | GK | USA | Mandy Haught | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 |

## Awards

    As of July 3, 2023.

### NWSL monthly awards

Best XI of the Month :
| Month | Pos. | Nat. | Player |
| March/ April | FW | USA | Lynn Williams |
| May | DF | BRA | Bruninha |
| May | MF | USA | Jenna Nighswonger |
| May | GK | USA | Abby Smith |
| May | FW | USA | Lynn Williams (2) |
| June | FW | USA | Lynn Williams (3) |

### NWSL weekly awards

Player of the Week :
| Wk. | Pos. | Nat. | Player | Won |
| 1 | FW | USA | Lynn Williams | Won |
| 4 | FW | USA | Lynn Williams (2) | Won |
| 7 | GK | USA | Abby Smith | Won |
| 8 | FW | USA | Lynn Williams (3) | Won |
| 9 | DF | BRA | Bruninha | Won |
| 13 | FW | USA | Lynn Williams | Nom. |
| 15 | GK | USA | Abby Smith | Nom. |
Save of the Week :
| Wk. | Pos. | Nat. | Player | Won |
| 4 | GK | USA | Abby Smith | Won |
| 5 | GK | USA | Abby Smith (2) | Won |
| 6 | GK | USA | Mandy Haught | Nom. |
| 7 | GK | USA | Abby Smith (3) | Won |
| 10 | DF | BRA | Bruninha | Won |
| 10 | GK | USA | Abby Smith (4) | Won |
| 11 | GK | USA | Abby Smith | 2nd |
| 14 | GK | USA | Abby Smith (5) | Won |

## Transactions
### 2023 NWSL Draft

Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. The 2023 NWSL Draft was held on January 12, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| R. | P. | Pos. | Nat. | Player | College | Status | Ref. |
| 1 | 4 | FW/MF | USA | Jenna Nighswonger | Florida State | Signed. | |
| 4 | 44 | MF | USA | Iliana Hocking | Arizona | Not signed. | |

### Loans in

| Date | Pos. | Nat. | Player | Previous club | Fee/notes | Ref. |
| July 5, 2023 | FW | USA | Katie Stengel | Liverpool | Loaned through September 3, 2023. | |

### Transfers in

| Date | Pos. | Nat. | Player | Previous club | Fee/notes |
| November 28, 2022 | GK | USA | Abby Smith | Portland Thorns FC | Signed as a free agent through 2025. |
| December 1, 2022 | DF | USA | Kristen Edmonds | Kansas City Current | Signed as a free agent through 2024. |
| December 8, 2022 | DF | USA | Nealy Martin | Racing Louisville FC | Signed off waivers to a one-year contract with one-year option. |
| January 5, 2023 | DF | USA | Yazmeen Ryan | Portland Thorns FC (via Angel City FC) | Acquired via trade with $250,000 in allocation money in exchange for the first-overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. |
| January 12, 2023 | FW | USA | Lynn Williams | Kansas City Current | Acquired via trade in exchange for the 2nd-overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. |
| January 25, 2023 | DF | USA | Kelley O'Hara | Washington Spirit | Signed as a free agent through 2024. |
| March 15, 2023 | FW/MF | USA | Jenna Nighswonger | Florida State | 2023 NWSL Draft selection signed a three-year contract. |
| June 25, 2023 | MF | USA | Mana Shim | Retirement; previously Houston Dash | Signed a short-term injury replacement contract. |
| July 6, 2023 | MF | ESP | Maitane López | Atlético Madrid | Free transfer signed a two-year contract with an option for an additional year. |

### Contract operations

| Date | Pos. | Nat. | Player | Fee/notes |
| October 14, 2022 | MF | USA | Nicole Baxter | Contracts not renewed. |
| October 14, 2022 | MF | GHA | Jennifer Cudjoe | Contracts not renewed. |
| October 14, 2022 | FW | JPN | Kumi Yokoyama | Contracts not renewed. |
| October 14, 2022 | FW | USA | Jenna Bike | Contracts not renewed. |
| October 14, 2022 | FW | USA | Domi Richardson | Contract option not exercised. |
| June 20, 2023 | FW | USA | Lynn Williams | Contract renewed through 2025. |

### Transfers out

| Date | Pos. | Nat. | Player | Destination team | Fee/notes |
| December 2, 2022 | DF | CMR | Estelle Johnson | North Carolina Courage | Free agent signing. |
| January 12, 2023 | FW | USA | Paige Monaghan | Racing Louisville FC | Traded with $150,000 in allocation money and a 2023 international slot in exchange for the fourth-overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. |
| January 18, 2023 | FW | USA | Cameron Tucker | — | Waived. |
| February 2, 2023 | DF | USA | Kelly Ann Livingstone | Fortuna Hjørring | Waived. |
| April 25, 2023 | GK | USA | Hensley Hancuff | | Waived. |
| April 27, 2023 | MF | CAN | Victoria Pickett | North Carolina Courage | Traded in exchange for $200,000 in allocation money. |
| July 8, 2023 | MF | JPN | Nahomi Kawasumi | | Contract mutually terminated. |

### Retirements

| Date | Pos. | Nat. | Player | Notes | Ref. |
| October 14, 2022 | MF | USA | Nicole Baxter | Retired. | |
| November 16, 2022 | GK | USA | Ashlyn Harris | Retired; joined Gotham FC's front office. | |