Gotham FC Readies for Top-Four Clash at Portland

PORTLAND, Oregon (July 23, 2026) - Gotham FC heads west this week for one of the marquee matchups of the NWSL regular season, visiting Portland Thorns FC on Friday night at Providence Park in a battle between two of the league's top four teams.

Kickoff is set for 10 p.m. ET, with Prime Video carrying the national broadcast.

Gotham FC (9-3-3, 30 points) enters the match riding a three-game winning streak and having won four of its last five regular season contests. Gotham FC is level on points with Washington at the top of the NWSL standings entering the weekend, trailing the Spirit only on goal difference at the halfway point of the season.

Gotham FC is coming off one of the most dramatic victories in club history, rallying from a two-goal halftime deficit to defeat Seattle Reign FC 3-2 this past Saturday at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in Manhattan. Esther González scored twice in the final 10 minutes before Rose Lavelle completed the comeback with a stoppage-time winner, marking Gotham FC's first regular season victory after trailing by two goals at halftime since 2017.

Portland (8-5-3, 27 points) enters Friday's contest in fourth place in the tightly packed NWSL standings. The Thorns have dropped each of their last two matches and have won just two of their last eight league games, most recently falling 2-1 on the road to Denver Summit FC despite a first-half penalty from Sophia Wilson, who leads Portland with seven goals this season.

Friday marks another meeting between two of the NWSL's most successful clubs. Gotham FC holds a narrow 12-13-8 record against Portland across all competitions and has won six of the last eight meetings between the teams. A result Friday would give Gotham FC the opportunity to reclaim first place in the NWSL standings.

Following Friday's match, Gotham FC will remain on the West Coast to continue its three-match road swing, traveling to face Bay FC on Wednesday at PayPal Park. Kickoff is set for 10 p.m. ET, with coverage on CBS Sports Network.

Key Points:

• Two of Gotham FC's most recent victories against the Portland Thorns have come in the NWSL playoffs. Gotham FC eliminated Portland in the 2023 semifinals at Providence Park before knocking out the Thorns again in the 2024 quarterfinals in the club's only home playoff match to date.
• In its most recent match against Seattle Reign FC, Gotham FC became the first NWSL team to win a competitive match after trailing by multiple goals in the 80th minute or later. The only previous instance of an NWSL team overcoming a two-goal deficit after the 75th minute also belonged to Gotham FC, then Sky Blue FC, against FC Kansas City in 2017.
• Midfielder Rose Lavelle has scored the game-winning goal in each of Gotham FC's last two matches, marking the first time in her career she has scored game winners in consecutive NWSL matches.
• A victory Friday would give Gotham FC its fifth road win of the season, matching the club's total from the 2025 regular season.