Gotham FC vs Utah Royals FC preview: 90 minutes from the Shield
The Shield is in their hands. NJ/NY Gotham FC will head into the last match of the regular season with a three-point lead over the second-placed San Diego Wave. At a minimum, all they need is a draw in their Decision Day matchup against Utah Royals FC. The Bats have not lost in five previous meetings with this current iteration of the Utah Royals, who re-joined the NWSL in 2024. They have outscored the side 11-2 in those five matchups, including a 3-1 victory back in July.
For Gotham FC, the math is simple: avoid a loss, and the Shield is theirs. They made their lives much easier this week after earning a gutsy 2-1 victory away to the Orlando Pride last week despite a laundry list of injuries. While it is not 100% good news, there is hope for some familiar faces to return, with both Jaedyn Shaw and Rose Lavelle, who missed last week's match, probably available for selection, albeit with question marks still surrounding just how "available" they will actually be.
Then, Utah has plenty to play for. Last week they clinched their first playoff appearance in club history, and this week, depending on their match as well as results around the league, the team could end up anywhere from third all the way down to eighth. They currently sit in sixth, and a win combined with losses from the Washington Spirit and/or the Kansas City Current would see the Royals jump into the top four and host a quarterfinal matchup. Of course, the NJ/NY side does not want that.
Despite the recent success of Gotham over Utah, and despite getting healthier heading into this match, it will not be easy. The Royals have exploded offensively in multiple games throughout the season and need the win just as much. Here is a preview of Sunday's match.
Gotham FC vs Utah Royals preview
Date
The game will take place on Sunday, November 1.
Time
The fixture is scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM ET.
Location
The match will be played at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.
How to watch
The match will be broadcast on ESPN and streamed on the ESPN app.
Weather
A relatively nice night is in store given the time of year, with the temperature at kickoff being 59 degrees before dropping to 54 by the end of the match. Wind speeds will never go above 5 mph, with humidity rising from 40% to 50% over the course of the match. There is a 0% chance of rain, with sunset arriving at 4:52 PM.
Injury report
The final game of the regular season will see the following players unavailable: Bruninha (knee- SEI), Jordynn Dudley (foot- SEI), Kayla Duran (knee - SEI), and Emily Sonnett (knee - SEI).
Rose Lavelle (neck) and Jaedyn Shaw (knee) are questionable.
Players to watch
A player who stepped up in a big way last week, with plenty of usual starters out injured, was midfielder Tess Boade. She played 67 minutes against Orlando, more than doubling her season total on the year, leading the team in xG and being third in xA. She definitely opened some eyeballs last week, both internally and externally, and may be relied upon as a key piece depending on Lavelle's availability. She is one to watch.
For Utah, their best player this season has been, without question, Cloé Lacasse, making her another one to watch. She has the chance to be the first player in league history to score 10 goals and 10 assists in a single season if she scores twice on Sunday. If Utah wants to get a result on Sunday, or even make a run in the playoffs, they're going to need Lacasse at her best.
Prediction
The NJ/NY side's strong form over Utah should continue with a 1-0 victory on Sunday. The lone goal will come from Sam Kerr, who will end her three-game goalless drought. It certainly won't be an easy match and might look a lot like their game from last week against Orlando, with Gotham FC living on the edge and giving up an unusually large number of chances. After all, Utah is a much better team than Orlando, with a much more potent and efficient attack.
