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Jeff Kassouf
SAN JOSE, Calif. — NJ/NY Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said that «the main characters» are who will decide Saturday’s NWSL Championship against the Washington Spirit at PayPal Park.
«The main characters of the game are the players,» Amorós told a news conference Friday. «As the coaches, we try to create the scenes for them to respond to those situations in a similar manner. But ultimately, it’s a game that’s impossible to predict, and that is where they take that responsibility.»
Washington’s Trinity Rodman is the protagonist of Saturday’s final not only for her team, but for the entire NWSL. Her contract expires next month, and sources have told ESPN that she has more lucrative offers from teams in England and the United States’ other first-division league, the USL Super League — offers that the NWSL cannot currently match due to its salary cap.
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Rodman has also barely played since spraining the MCL in her right knee last month. She returned to the field for the final five minutes of last week’s semifinal victory. On Friday, Spirit head coach Adrián González said that Rodman is «available and ready to compete,» but he did not indicate how much the United States international might play.
Rodman participated in the Spirit’s training session on Friday with a black sleeve over her right knee, as she has in recent weeks. One day earlier, Rodman told ESPN that she is feeling optimistic about her health.
«I feel great,» Rodman said. «Obviously, getting another week under my belt is nothing but a positive. Being able to get those minutes last weekend, I’m really grateful for. It’s been extremely smooth and I’m hoping that we do really well this weekend and I can see the field again — hopefully for a couple more minutes.»
Saturday’s NWSL Championship will mark the 44th meeting between the Spirit and Gotham (formerly known as Sky Blue FC), more than any two teams have met in league history. The two teams also met in last year’s semifinals, with the Spirit prevailing in a penalty shootout.
Gotham won the 2023 NWSL Championship as the lowest seed (No. 6) in the playoffs, just as they are this year as the No. 8 seed. Gotham is also the reigning Concacaf champion after winning the inaugural regional event in May.
The Spirit won their only NWSL Championship to date in 2021. They find themselves in a second straight NWSL Championship after losing to the Orlando Pride in last year’s final.
Moments after a jovial walkthrough practice on Friday, Gonzalez stressed that the Spirit plan to stick to what they’ve done all year. The Spirit’s season started with González as an assistant (Jonathan Giráldez left for the OL Lyonnes job) and Rodman returning from a back injury, among several other absences.
Rodman’s health for Saturday remains a concern, and defender Gabby Carle will miss the game due to a hamstring injury sustained in the quarterfinals.
«We take risks every day,» González said. «We are going to do the same that we’ve been doing. That is part of our identity, so we don’t have to change right now, anything. The team knows what we have to do and the things that are working.»
Gotham has been less consistent this season despite winning the Concacaf title. They lost to the North Carolina Courage on the final day of the regular season to fall into the eighth and final seed before upsetting the record-setting Kansas City Current in the quarterfinals.
«It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster of a season,» Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle said. «I think we’ve had a lot of high highs, a lot of low lows, a lot of crazy travel. But I think with all of that, it’s allowed us a lot of roster rotation. A lot of people stepping up, playing different roles. I think going through that kind of adversity through the season has allowed us to be ready for these moments.»
