Gotham FC remain at the top of Group B in Concacaf W Champions Cup after defeating Vancouver Rise FC Academy in dominating fashion.
The 4-1 result solidifies a perfect streak for the Bats in the tournament as they continue their title defense with nine W Champions Cup match wins over two years. Gotham midfielder Josefine Hasbo scored her first goal for Gotham, Gotham forward Katie Stengel scored her first since returning to the club after playing with Crystal Palace during the 2024-25 season.
Vancouver Rise's Anna Bout, a former University of Pittsburgh teammate of Gotham's Sarah Schupansky, scored a goal off a rebound shortly after Stengel's goal, bringing the teams close to level by halftime. But a goal from Gotham's Esther González two minutes into the second half put the Bats firmly ahead, with Bruninha sealing the deal when she added a fourth goal in stoppage time.
"We want Gotham to be known not only in the US, but across North America and the Caribbean," said Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós. "We want people in other countries to know who we are, to connect with fans, and to engage with their communities. Being here in Vancouver has been fantastic, and staying a few extra days makes it both a football and human experience for our players and staff."
Gotham FC: 2.42 xG, 17 shots, 5 shots on target, 81% possession, 699 passes, 87% pass accuracy, 4 fouls, 10 corners, 0 saves
Vancouver Rise FC Academy: 1.03 xG, 6 shots, 1 shot on target, 19% possession, TK174passes, 48% pass accuracy, 4 fouls, 0 corners, 1 save
Goals:
• Gotham FC, Josefine Hasbo, 9'
• Gotham FC, Katie Stengel, 12'
• Vancouver Rise FC Academy, Anna Bout, 14'
• Gotham FC, Esther González, 47'
• Gotham FC, Bruninha, 90+3'
Attendance: 1,191
Josefine's first Gotham goal
It was a night of firsts for many of Gotham's players, including standout star Hasbo.
The Danish international scored her first goal for the Bats after joining Gotham in early June. A corner early in the first half put Gotham in a prime scoring position. Hasbo took a diving header off of Gotham defender Kayla Duran's cross in the ninth minute, marking Duran's first assist for Gotham.
"It was a great experience, and I’m happy I was able to contribute to the team," Hasbo said of her goal. "This was a very important win for us to advance in the tournament, so I’m pleased with my performance."
Courtesy of Gotham FC
Other firsts for the team included new Gotham signee Jaedyn Shaw's first start for the team, as well as goalkeeper Ryan Campbell's first start for both the team and her professional career. Despite the many changeups to Gotham's first lineup, the team had a near complete game, moving in tandem while retaining possession for a majority of the match.
"In both halves, we dominated possession and found different solutions," Hasbo said. "Credit to Vancouver Rise. They read what we were trying to do, stayed very compact, and were excellent defensively. They posed real challenges for us."
Hudson River Blue Staff
The youth advantage
Gotham took the field with a significantly younger team than what Amorós normally directs on the pitch. With Hasbo, Shaw, and Campbell joining usual starters Reale and Schupansky, the head coach went for a bolder approach rather than the usual standard in testing different lineups as the league heads into its final matches.
It might seem like a risk to play a bunch of newcomers with little experience playing together as a team, but Amorós had a vision.
"These are the kinds of systems they might encounter more at the international level with their national teams," said Amorós. "So when they’re not used to it, it can be more difficult. But as humans, we’re creatures of experience. The more we face these situations, the better we become at handling them."
Mak Whitham was another young face that joined the team on the pitch, subbing in for Gabi Portilho in the 62nd minute. Although the 15-year-old is a familiar face on the Gotham squad, she came on for a significant amount of time in a large international tournament — quite a feat for someone who is still in high school.
Whitham represents the new generation of Bats that Amorós is cultivating with the expectation that they'll make a significant impact in league play. Since the start of the season, Gotham's head coach has been open about his desire to change the lineups, starting rookies over more experienced players to give them an opportunity to learn and develop on the pitch in real time rather than in hypotheticals during practice.
"The young ones are also learning a lot in these games," said Amorós. "Experiencing football in Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Canada, and El Salvador gives them opportunities that didn’t even exist a year ago. It’s a privilege, and sometimes it takes looking back to truly appreciate it, realizing you played in those competitions, traveled to those countries, and faced those players."
