Gotham ride excellent role players to win first-ever NWSL Shield with playoff run, title defense in sights

HARRISON, NJ — Every NWSL fan knows that Rose Lavelle and Jaedyn Shaw provide the star power for defending NWSL champions Gotham FC, but the club's first-ever NWSL Shield came thanks to much more than the dynamic duo. Their clinching 2-0 victory over Utah Royals was a perfect example of that dynamic, as Gotham finished three points clear at the top of the NWSL table at the end of the 2026 regular season.