History repeated itself in the Queens Classic, as Gotham FC battled against the Washington Spirit in New York’s Citi Field — come rain, come shine, come smoke.
In a rematch of the 2025 NWSL Championship, the two east coast rivals faced off in a star-studded matchup. And just like last fall’s final, it was a lone goal from Rose Lavelle that ended up being the difference in a 1-0 win.
The match was able to kick off as scheduled, despite being threatened by smoke, heat and rain — the bad weather trifecta. Temperatures in the high 80s and plenty of humidity, and the rain storm that moved through the area a few hours before kickoff offered some early threats. But in the end, it was the smoke that was particularly concerning, as smoke from wildfires in Ontario made its way to New York City.
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Under NWSL rules, an air quality index (AQI) between 150 and 180 means that the game must have two hydration breaks per half; an AQI of over 150 is considered “unhealthy” for all groups, per the EPA. According to the EPA’s AirNow site, the AQI in Flushing was over 170 when the match kicked off.
Despite this, the stands were pretty full in Citi Field. The stadium reported a sold-out crowd of 42,175, though that likely represented tickets sold rather than fans in attendance. Still, it’s the second-largest NWSL crowd in the league’s history, and breaks a New York City record for the largest crowd at a women’s professional sporting event.
(The number did fall short of the national record of 63,004, which was set by the Denver Summit at Mile High Stadium in March.)
Citi Field was modified to host a soccer field for Wednesday’s game (Photo by Dustin Satloff/NWSL via Getty Images)
(Dustin Satloff via Getty Images)
Perhaps reflective of the weather and the smoke, the first half was a bit sluggish, with several stoppages both for hydration and for a handful of injuries. Rookie forward Jordynn Dudley exited the game early with a potential head injury, heading to the locker room in the 32nd minute; defender Jess Carter came on shortly afterwards as a concussion substitution.
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Rose Lavelle then broke through in the 37th minute with a stellar goal, weaving through the Washington back line and burying a tricky shot. (Citi Field’s infamous home run apple also popped up to celebrate the goal.)
The crowd was also there to see Australian forward Sam Kerr, who signed with Gotham last month but who had yet to play. In the second half of Wednesday’s game, Kerr made her return to the NWSL stage, replacing Sarah Schupansky in the 64th minute. The veteran striker made her presence known immediately, taking a shot on goal less than a minute after subbing in.
Washington had multiple chances in the final minutes, with players like Trinity Rodman and Leicy Santos getting shots on target, but the Gotham defense and keeper Ann-Katrin Berger held strong for the 1-0 win.
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The game didn’t quite live up to the NWSL’s billing, though there were plenty of exciting points. The weather added a bit of unnecessary danger, and the modified baseball field was at times distracting, but in the end, Gotham got 42,000 fans to buy tickets for an ultimately entertaining win.
The matchup in Queens also offered a sneak preview for Gotham fans: In 2028, the team is set to join into New York City FC in Etihad Stadium, which is currently under construction.
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