11/24/25 01:51:00
Printable Page
11/24 13:49 CST New York City honors Gotham FC's championship win with
procession and key to the city
New York City honors Gotham FC's championship win with procession and key to
the city
NEW YORK (AP) --- New York City on Monday celebrated Gotham FC's capture of its
second National Women's Soccer League championship in three years, with a
procession for the players in Manhattan and the presentation of the keys to the
city.
Members of the team were greeted by cheering fans as they traveled to City Hall
on top of a double-decker bus on a stretch of Broadway where champion athletes
and other notable figures have long been feted with ticker-tape parades
The procession culminated with a ceremony where Mayor Eric Adams handed out
large gold keys to the players.
Rose Lavelle, whose goal in the 80th minute was the only score in Saturday
night's 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit, thanked her teammates, the fans,
and the team's leadership and staff for making their championship dream a
reality.
"We're the ones on the field who get to do the job, but to win a championship,
it literally takes every last person" in the organization, Lavelle said as the
crowd repeatedly screamed "MVP!" referencing her winning that honor in the
title match.
"When you get to do what you love with people you love, it makes the journey
much sweeter," she said.
Led by Coach Juan Carlos Amoros, Gotham had defied the odds to make the final,
going on the road twice to defeat the top-seeded Kansas City Current 2-1 in the
quarterfinals and the defending champions, the Orlando Pride, 1-0, in the semis.
Gotham also became the first eighth-seed to win the NWSL Championship. In 2023,
when there were only six playoff spots, Gotham became the first sixth-seed to
lift the trophy.
The team, which represents both New York and New Jersey, plays its home games
at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J.
|