Gotham FC Battles to 1-1 Season-Opening Draw at Seattle
Gotham FC secured a point Saturday night to open the 2025 NWSL season, playing to a 1-1 draw against Seattle Reign FC after going down a player in the second half.
Several players made their club debuts, including forward Gabi Portilho, who scored in the 47th minute to become the first Brazilian to net a goal in their first NWSL game.
Midfielder Jaelin Howell also made her first appearance for Gotham FC against her former team, while rookies Sarah Schupansky and Lilly Reale made their professional debuts and 14-year-old Mak Whitham became the youngest player to appear in an NWSL regular-season match.
“I feel proud of this group,” Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós said. ”For us it was a big challenge coming to such a difficult place with a lot of new players. We had three professional debuts. … It was a question mark to see how we were going to be able to compete in the NWSL. I couldn’t be prouder of the team. We dominated every aspect. We created more than the opposition, dominated the ball. We were unfortunate to concede on the only half-shot that was on target from them, and we go home with one point.”
Seattle tied the game in the 71st minute when substitute Emeri Adames capitalized on a chaotic sequence in the box, slotting in the equalizer.
Gotham FC returns home to Sports Illustrated Stadium next Sunday for its home opener against reigning NWSL champion Orlando Pride. Tickets for the match can be purchased here.
Key Match Points
- Brazil national team star Gabi Portilho scored her first goal for Gotham FC in her NWSL regular season debut. She becomes the 58th player to score a regular season goal for the club.
- Portilho becomes the ninth player in Gotham FC history to score on her NWSL regular season debut.
- Portilho is the first Brazilian player to score in her NWSL debut.
- Forward Mak Whitham also made her NWSL regular season debut, appearing as a substitute in the third minute of second half stoppage and becoming the youngest player in NWSL regular season history at 14 years old.
- In addition to Portilho and Whitham, rookie Sarah Schupansky made her NWSL debut, joining the starting lineup for the first game of the season. Midfielder Jaelin Howell also registered her Gotham FC debut in a match against her former team.
- Gotham FC has scored in its last 11 NWSL matches, the longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a stretch of 12 games from June 26, 2016 to April 16, 2017.
- When scoring the first goal of the match in the NWSL, Gotham FC has avoided defeat in its last 35 matches.
- Gotham FC held Seattle Reign without a shot on target through the first half, outshooting Seattle, 6-2, in the opening 45 minutes.
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Match Highlights
Player of the Match
Gotham FC at Seattle Reign FC
Saturday, March 15, 2025
10 p.m. ET kickoff
Lumen Field, Seattle
Attendance: 8,467
Weather: Overcast; 44 degrees
Gotham FC (0, 1 – 1)
Seattle Reign FC (0, 1 – 1)
Scoring summary
Gotham FC
47’ Gabi Portilho
Seattle Reign FC
71’ Emeri Adames
Gotham FC: 30 - Ann-Katrin Berger (GK); 22 - Mandy Freeman, 15 - Tierna Davidson (C), 6 - Emily Sonnett, 27 - Jess Carter; 14 - Nealy Martin, 7 - Jaelin Howell, 11 - Sarah Schupansky (90’ 4 - Lilly Reale); 18 - Gabi Portilho (73’ 5 - Cece Kizer), 9 - Esther González (90’+3 17 - Mak Whitham), 13 - Ella Stevens
Head coach: Juan Carlos Amorós
Seattle Reign FC: 1 - Claudia Dickey (GK); 24 - Madison Curry, 23 - Jordyn Bugg, 21 - Phoebe McClernon, 25 - Shae Holmes; 8 - Angharad James-Turner (69’ 2 - Maddie Mercado), 91 - Ji So-Yun (20 - Sam Meza), 10 - Jess Fishlock (C); 7 - Ana-Maria Crnogorčević (58’ 30 - Nérilia Mondésir), 9 - Jordyn Huitema, 5 - Maddie Dahlien (69’ 47 - Emeri Adames)
Head coach: Laura Harvey
Stats Summary
GFC / RGN
Shots: 11 / 7
Shots on Goal: 4 / 1
Saves: 0 / 3
Corner Kicks: 5 / 3
Fouls: 11 / 14
Offside: 1 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
Gotham FC
38’ Gabi Portilho (yellow card - tactical foul)
66’ Sarah Schupansky (yellow card - tactical foul)
74’ Jaelin Howell (yellow card - reckless offense)
87’ Mandy Freeman (red card - serious foul play)
90+5’ Ryan Campbell (yellow card - delay of game)
Seattle Reign FC
42’ Jordyn Huitema (yellow card - reckless offense)
52’ Jordyn Bugg (yellow card - tactical foul)
Officials
Referee: Alexandra Billeter
Assistant Referee 1: Tiffini Turpin
Assistant Referee 2: Art Arustamyan
4th Official: Patricia McCracken
VAR: Shawn Tehini
AVAR: Katherine McCormick
