Photo credit: Patricia Giobetti | The equalizer
Once again, an exciting season in the National Women’s Soccer League came to an end with a play-off final between two of the league’s most exciting teams. In the end, it was NJ/NY Gotham FC that had the upper hand over Washington Spirit with a winning goal from Rose Lavelle. Although the goal won them the match straight away, it was Gotham’s turnover that made the difference.
As the result suggests, the match was a tightly controlled, tactically disciplined final. Both head coaches, Juan Carlos Amorós and Adrian González, have set up their teams to press high and attack in transition. But Gotham utilized another defensive organization that gave them the decisive lead.
Amorós made two significant changes to his Gotham side: Winger Gabi Portilho and full-back Bruninha dropped from the starting line-up, replaced by Sarah Schupansky in midfield and Mandy Freeman at right-back. This pushed Jaedyn Shaw into a wide role and freed Lavelle to operate as a more fluid number 10.
Meanwhile, the Spirit continued with the same team that had served them well, with Trinity Rodman continuing in her substitute role as she recovers from injury. It’s also worth noting that Hal Hershfelt was tasked with anchoring the midfield and, more importantly, covering the dangerous Lavelle.
Amorós moved away from his more typical formation to counter Washington’s creative and strong midfield trio of Croix Bethune, Leicy Santos and Hershfelt. In possession, the Gotham head coach typically played his team in a 4-3-3, using his two No. 10s to push forward into the channels, with the full-backs providing width and support to two narrower wingers. In the final he used Midge Purce and Shaw to play in the wide areas, but also to drop into the penalty area and overload the ball side. The idea was to switch play: get the ball to the underloaded side and look for the opposite winger or number 10 to score from the back post.
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