Gotham enters NWSL playoffs with 23 goals against

The NWSL playoffs begin Friday at 10 p.m. ET on Prime Video, with the No. 2 San Diego Wave hosting the No. 7 Utah Royals. The bracket features four quarterfinals across the weekend, culminating in a championship game at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Gotham FC enters the tournament as the top seed and reigning champion, having won the NWSL Shield with 61 points. The club posted the league's best defensive record, allowing only 23 goals in 30 matches. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger led the league in save percentage and goals against per 90 minutes, anchoring a backline that conceded the fewest goals among all eight playoff teams.

However, Gotham's roster has been thinning due to injury. Defender Emily Sonnett was lost for the season in July, while forward Jordynn Dudley and defender Bruninha have recently gone down. Midfielder Jaelin Howell suffered an ankle injury Sunday, and playmakers Rose Lavelle and Jaedyn Shaw have only just returned to fitness. The team has scored just 39 goals, a total that beats only Seattle among the playoff contenders.

San Diego Wave finished second with 58 points, driven by a possession-based style. Forward Trinity Byars and teenager Melanie Barcenas combined for 18 goals, supported by veteran midfielder Kenza Dali and center-back Kennedy Wesley. The team's main tactical question involves breaking down disciplined defenses, as it lost twice to Seattle and required a late rally to draw Boston Legacy.

Washington Spirit, the No. 3 seed, conceded 28 goals, the second fewest in the league, behind only Gotham. Goalkeeper Sandy MacIver has filled in for Aubrey Kingsbury, who is on maternity leave. The Spirit lost midfielder Hal Hershfelt to an ACL tear in late October and are missing Deborah Abiodun for the season. They will rely on Andi Sullivan to manage the midfield load against a potent attack.

Kansas City Current, the No. 4 seed, enters on a five-game winning streak and co-leads the league in goals scored. Midfielder Croix Bethune broke the joint league record for assists with 11, while Temwa Chawinga and Haley Hopkins each scored 12 goals. The Current's vulnerability lies in set-piece defense, having conceded 12 goals from such situations, two more than in the previous season.

Angel City FC, the No. 5 seed, holds the league's longest active unbeaten streak at 10 games. The club has recorded 10 shutouts, a club record, with goalkeeper Emily Sams and defenders Savy King and Sarah Gorden playing key roles. Midfielder Ary Borges leads a central unit that must match the physicality of the Current, a team it has beaten only once this season when Kansas City was shorthanded.

Portland Thorns FC, the No. 6 seed, relies heavily on Sophia Wilson, who scored a career-high 15 goals and netted a brace Sunday. The Thorns, however, have the worst defense among playoff teams, conceding 41 goals. Coach Robert Vilahamn has settled on a back four that excludes co-captain Sam Hiatt. Utah Royals and Seattle Reign round out the bracket, with Utah missing star Mina Tanaka to a hamstring injury and Seattle ranking 12th in expected goals despite a strong defensive record.