Gotham FC Aims to Bounce Back in Third-Place Match Against Pachuca

PACHUCA, Mexico (May 22, 2026) - Gotham FC can close out its 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup campaign on a positive note Saturday evening, facing CF Pachuca in the tournament’s third-place match at Estadio Hidalgo.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET, with Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network carrying the English-language broadcast and ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ providing Spanish-language coverage.

Gotham FC enters Saturday following a 4-1 semifinal loss to Club América on Wednesday night, ending the club’s run toward a second consecutive Concacaf W Champions Cup final appearance. Esther González scored Gotham’s lone goal in the defeat, while Jaedyn Shaw recorded her first goal contribution in the competition for Gotham with the assist. Despite the setback, Gotham remains one of the competition’s most successful clubs, holding a 7-1-3 all-time record in Concacaf W Champions Cup play and a 4-1-2 mark against Liga MX Femenil opposition.

Pachuca enters the third-place match after a narrow 1-0 semifinal loss to the Washington Spirit on Wednesday night. Las Tuzas controlled long stretches of the match and outshot the Spirit 13-6 but were undone by a late goal from Washington’s Claudia Martínez in the 81st minute. Pachuca nearly opened the scoring in the third minute when Kelly Caicedo struck the post and consistently threatened throughout the match behind attacking pressure from Charlyn Corral and Aline Gomes.

Saturday marks the first meeting between Gotham FC and Pachuca. Pachuca reached the semifinal round after emerging as one of the strongest attacking teams in the tournament, led by veteran Mexican international Charlyn Corral, a University of Louisville graduate who enters the match with a team-leading 11 chances created in Concacaf W Champions Cup play.

Following the conclusion of Saturday’s match, Gotham FC will return home as the club shifts its focus back to NWSL play, facing the Houston Dash on May 31 at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Key Points:

• González’s goal in Wednesday’s semifinal marked her fifth career Concacaf W Champions Cup goal and her second in a knockout-stage match after scoring the winner in last year’s Concacaf W Champions Cup Final. González became the first player in competition history to score in multiple knockout-stage matches.
• Wednesday’s semifinal marked the first time Gotham FC trailed during the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup campaign.
• Gotham FC has averaged 60.6% possession during the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup, the second-highest mark among the four clubs participating in the finals stage.
• Midfielder Sofia Cook leads Gotham FC with six successful lay-offs during the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup, tied for the fourth-most among all players in the competition.