Gotham FC 1–0 San Diego Wave FC, NWSL Matchday 16

Gotham FC v San Diego Wave FC

Gotham FC1st 40 pts

J. Shaw 44′

1

1–0

Full time

Fri 7 Aug

Expected goals: Gotham FC 1.21, San Diego Wave FC 0.74

San Diego Wave FC4th 32 pts

0

Fri 7 Aug, 8:25 pm EDT Sports Illustrated Stadium NWSL 2026, Matchday 16

The match story

Photo from Gotham FC — Devon Cafaro/Courtesy Gotham FC

NWSL News

Gotham says its titles came from the bottom. Now it starts on top.

The club says its 2023 and 2025 NWSL Championships came as the postseason’s lowest seed. Its first Shield brings home-field advantage through the semifinals, subject to venue availability.

3 November 2026

Key moments

44′Goal J. Shaw (Gotham FC)1–0

Top performers

Gotham FC

J. ShawMGFCshirt 101G2SH
R. LavelleMGFCshirt 160G4SH
J. HowellMGFCshirt 70G2SH

San Diego Wave

M. BarcenasMSDshirt 70G2SH
T. ByarsFSDshirt 150G2SH
A. LeonSDshirt 9, came off the bench0G1SH

Three per club, chosen from the match record: goals, then shots.

What it means

Gotham FC

1stNo change

In the playoff places, 17 points above Seattle Reign FC, with 11 to play.

San Diego Wave FC

4thNo change

In the playoff places, 9 points above Seattle Reign FC, with 11 to play.

Season series

Matchday 11 Sat 4 Jul

San Diego Wave FC2

Gotham FC0

Matchday 16 Fri 7 Aug

Gotham FC1

San Diego Wave FC0

Gotham FC won one, San Diego Wave FC won one; 2–1 on aggregate to San Diego Wave FC.

Team stats

GFC SD

Expected goals: Gotham FC: 1.21; San Diego Wave FC: 0.74
Possession: Gotham FC: 56%; San Diego Wave FC: 44%
Shots: Gotham FC: 15; San Diego Wave FC: 9
Corners: Gotham FC: 3; San Diego Wave FC: 1

NWSL table 2026

Standings →

NWSL table
#	Club	P	GD	Pts
1	Gotham FC	19	+12	40
2	Washington Spirit	18	+13	36
3	Utah Royals FC	18	+12	33
4	San Diego Wave FC	19	+4	32
5	Kansas City Current	18	+4	29
6	Portland Thorns FC	18	+3	28
7	North Carolina Courage	17	+5	27
8	Angel City FC	16	+7	23

After this result

By the numbers

San Diego Wave FC have 13 points from last 5 and are in form. 2.6 a match, against 1.9 all season. NWSL average 1.4.

Gotham FC have 23 goals conceded, the fewest in the NWSL. 0.8 a match. NWSL average 1.4.

San Diego Wave FC are 7 matches unbeaten. Last defeat: 0–1 at Seattle Reign FC, 6 September.

San Diego Wave FC have 10 away wins from 15 away, and 8 from 15 at home. 2.1 points a match away, 1.7 at home.

The match on the pitch

Gotham FC: 56% possession; 94 possessions; 14% ended in a shot; 20% reached the box; 6.6 actions each
San Diego Wave FC: 44% possession; 97 possessions; 9% ended in a shot; 21% reached the box; 5.2 actions each

Where each team won the ball

Gotham FC

San Diego Wave FC

Where each possession began, both teams attacking right. Gotham FC started 13% of their possessions in the final third, San Diego Wave FC 9%.

Where the shots came from

Gotham FCSan Diego Wave FC

Gotham FC attack right, San Diego Wave FC left. A larger ringed dot is a goal. Own goals are not shots.

How each team moved the ball

Gotham FC

San Diego Wave FC

Passes between 20 zones, both teams attacking right. Forward moves in the team colour, backward moves dark, sideways moves pale; line weight is the share of the team’s passes.

How long possessions ran

Gotham FCSan Diego Wave FC

Share of possessions by number of actions.

Longer possessions shot more

Gotham FCSan Diego Wave FC

Of the possessions with each number of actions, the share that produced a shot. A gap marks too few possessions to rate.

Where play slowed down

Gotham FCSan Diego Wave FC

Mean seconds between one action and the next in the same possession, by where the action happened.

Every recorded action

Observed match events

Every action recorded in this match, where it happened: what was seen on the pitch, not a simulated path. 1,682 events in the record.

Period Minute 94 Only the 5 minutes up to it

Gotham FC attack right, San Diego Wave FC left. Passes are arrows to where they ended, dashed when not completed; a ringed start is a restart. A dot is a shot, a larger ringed dot a goal; a diamond is a take-on, a square a keeper action. Showing the whole match.

Choose an action on the pitch or in the list to see everything recorded about it.

65 events shown.

Events shown, in recorded order
Time	Player	Team
1:07	G. Reiten	Gotham FC
4:25	G. Corley	San Diego Wave FC
5:08	L. Godfrey	San Diego Wave FC
8:45	J. Shaw	Gotham FC
13:10	L. Fazer	San Diego Wave FC
15:59	G. Reiten	Gotham FC
16:13	R. Lavelle	Gotham FC
16:17	R. Lavelle	Gotham FC
16:54	S. McCaskill	Gotham FC
18:41	L. Godfrey	San Diego Wave FC
19:25	A. Berger	Gotham FC
20:46	P. Morroni	San Diego Wave FC
20:56	A. Berger	Gotham FC
21:14	G. Corley	San Diego Wave FC
21:25	A. Berger	Gotham FC
21:51	R. Lavelle	Gotham FC
24:08	T. Byars	San Diego Wave FC
24:15	M. Barcenas	San Diego Wave FC
27:36	L. Godfrey	San Diego Wave FC
28:13	A. Berger	Gotham FC

Page 1 of 4

Lineups

Gotham FCFormation 4-2-3-1

Gotham FC, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 30 A. Berger. Line 1: 3 Bruninha, 27 J. Carter, 15 T. Davidson, 18 G. Reiten. Line 2: 13 S. McCaskill, 7 J. Howell. Line 3: 2 J. Dudley, 16 R. Lavelle, 10 J. Shaw. Line 4: 20 S. Kerr.

Gotham FC lineup: 11 starters, then 3 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG
30	A. Berger	90	0	0	0.00
3	Bruninha	90	0	0	0.00
18	G. Reiten, off at 88′	88	0	0	0.20
7	J. Howell	90	0	0	0.12
27	J. Carter	90	0	0	0.00
15	T. Davidson	90	0	0	0.00
2	J. Dudley, off at 73′	73	0	1	0.00
13	S. McCaskill, off at 73′	73	0	0	0.04
20	S. Kerr	90	0	0	0.37
16	R. Lavelle	90	0	0	0.28
10	J. Shaw	90	1	0	0.08
Substitutes
8	T. Torres, on at 73′	17	0	0	0.00
22	M. Freeman, on at 88′	2	0	0	0.02
23	M. Purce, on at 73′	17	0	0	0.09
Team			1	1	1.21

Unused: S. Hogan, S. Schupansky, T. Sommer, S. Cook, A. Kitahata, M. Speck

All player stats

Gotham FC lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 9 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG	Sh	SOT	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
3	Bruninha	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	91%	2	3
18	G. Reiten, off at 88′	88	0	0	0.20	1	0	1	80%	0	1
7	J. Howell	90	0	0	0.12	2	1	0	80%	7	2
27	J. Carter	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	96%	2	5
15	T. Davidson	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	97%	1	1
2	J. Dudley, off at 73′	73	0	1	0.00	0	0	4	67%	4	0
13	S. McCaskill, off at 73′	73	0	0	0.04	1	0	0	80%	1	0
20	S. Kerr	90	0	0	0.37	2	0	2	83%	0	0
16	R. Lavelle	90	0	0	0.28	4	1	1	72%	0	1
10	J. Shaw	90	1	0	0.08	2	1	2	62%	3	1
Substitutes
1	S. Hogan	–
8	T. Torres, on at 73′	17	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	67%	0	0
11	S. Schupansky	–
14	T. Sommer	–
21	S. Cook	–
22	M. Freeman, on at 88′	2	0	0	0.02	1	0	0	0%	0	0
23	M. Purce, on at 73′	17	0	0	0.09	2	0	0	60%	0	0
24	A. Kitahata	–
25	M. Speck	–
Team			1	1	1.21	15	3	11	85%	20	14

Gotham FC goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
30	A. Berger	90	3	3	100%	0	1

Clean sheet: A. Berger

San Diego Wave FCFormation 4-2-3-1

San Diego Wave FC, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 12 S. Paños. Line 1: 16 M. Van Zanten, 2 K. Wesley, 14 K. McNabb, 75 P. Morroni. Line 2: 8 K. Ascanio, 18 L. Fazer. Line 3: 7 M. Barcenas, 22 L. Godfrey, 11 G. Corley. Line 4: 15 T. Byars.

San Diego Wave FC lineup: 11 starters, then 5 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG
12	S. Paños	90	0	0	0.00
16	M. Van Zanten	90	0	0	0.09
75	P. Morroni, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.00
18	L. Fazer	90	0	0	0.05
2	K. Wesley	90	0	0	0.00
14	K. McNabb	90	0	0	0.00
7	M. Barcenas, off at 66′	66	0	0	0.09
8	K. Ascanio, off at 40′	40	0	0	0.00
15	T. Byars, off at 80′	80	0	0	0.31
22	L. Godfrey	90	0	0	0.12
11	G. Corley, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.03
Substitutes
23	N. Harrison, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.00
9	A. Leon, on at 66′	24	0	0	0.05
28	J. Fusco, on at 80′	10	0	0	0.00
10	K. Dali, on at 40′	50	0	0	0.00
19	T. Wynalda, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.00
Team			0	0	0.74

Unused: L. Agudelo, Ludmila, B. Courtnall

All player stats

San Diego Wave FC lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 8 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG	Sh	SOT	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
16	M. Van Zanten	90	0	0	0.09	1	0	1	90%	1	0
75	P. Morroni, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	79%	0	2
18	L. Fazer	90	0	0	0.05	1	0	1	79%	0	2
2	K. Wesley	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	91%	0	3
14	K. McNabb	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	84%	1	1
7	M. Barcenas, off at 66′	66	0	0	0.09	2	0	1	64%	2	0
8	K. Ascanio, off at 40′	40	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	95%	0	1
15	T. Byars, off at 80′	80	0	0	0.31	2	1	2	69%	0	0
22	L. Godfrey	90	0	0	0.12	1	0	1	95%	1	1
11	G. Corley, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.03	1	1	1	71%	1	1
Substitutes
23	N. Harrison, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	50%	1	0
1	L. Agudelo	–
17	Ludmila	–
9	A. Leon, on at 66′	24	0	0	0.05	1	1	0	43%	0	1
28	J. Fusco, on at 80′	10	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	100%	0	0
10	K. Dali, on at 40′	50	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	86%	0	0
19	T. Wynalda, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	60%	0	0
6	B. Courtnall	–
Team			0	0	0.74	9	3	9	83%	7	12