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CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Vancouver Rise FC Academy learns its path at the 2025-26 CONCACAF W Champions Cup
Players of NJ/NY Gotham FC of the U.S. lift the trophy after winning the CONCACAF Women Champions Cup tournament at University stadium in Monterrey, Mexico, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Jorge Mendoza) The Vancouver Rise FC Academy was drawn with defending champion Gotham FC and fellow NWSL side Washington Spirit in Group B for the second edition of the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, which kicks off in August. Group B also includes Mexico's CF Monterrey Femenil and El Salvador's Alianza Women FC. Group A is comprised of Mexico's Club America and CF Pachuca Femenil, NWSL champion Orlando Pride, Costa Rica's LD Alajuelense and Panama's FC Chorrillo. The group stage, to run from August to October, will see each team play two home and two away games. The top two from each group advance to the semifinals, set for May 2026. The 10-team tournament is the elite women's club competition in the region that covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. The winner qualifies for the 2027 FIFA Women's Champions Cup, an annual tournament featuring the champions of each confederation, and for the inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup, set to debut in 2028. Gotham, the 2023 NWSL champion, defeated Mexico's Tigres UANL 1-0 in the May 25 final of the inaugural edition of the tournament. As winner, Gotham qualifies for the 2028 FIFA Women's Club World Cup. The Vancouver Rise Academy, formerly Whitecaps Girls Elite FC, qualified virtue of winning the League1 Canada Inter-Provincial Championship — the same pathway it used for 2024-25 qualification. Whitecaps Girls Elite failed to reach the knockout rounds after finishing fourth in Group B at 1-3-0, outscored 16-2 after losses to Club America (7-0) and NWSL's Portland Thorns (6-0) and San Diego Wave (2-0) and a win over Panama's Sante Fe FC (2-1). The Northern Super League is currently in discussions with Canada Soccer and CONCACAF about the qualification process for future editions. Gotham was the highest-scoring team in the inaugural edition of the CONCACAF W Champions Cup with 25 goals. CF Monterrey won the 2024 Apertura title while Alianza Women won the 2024 Apertura and Clausura titles in El Salvador for a domestic four-peat. Tuesday's draw was conducted by Carlos Fernandez, CONCACAF's chief football competitions officer, and assisted by former Mexican footballer Desirée Monsiváis. This report by Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025.
New York Post
25-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Gotham FC ‘over the moon' after securing place as global heavyweight with Concacaf Champions Cup win
NJ/NY Gotham FC secured their place among the global women's soccer heavyweights this weekend when they won the inaugural Concacaf Women's Champions Cup. They were crowned the best team in North America, Central America and the Caribbean after beating Mexico-based club Tigres UANL in the tournament's championship game Saturday night. Gotham FC's offense was relentlessly attacking and frustrating the Tigres. Advertisement Ultimately, Esther González's second-chance goal in the 82nd minute was all Gotham needed to secure the 1-0 win in Monterrey, Mexico. 4 Gotham FC players celebrate after winning the Concacaf Women's Champions Cup on May 24. Shutterstock 'It's a historic moment for the Concacaf and for women's football in this part of the world,' Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós said after the win. 'It was the whole target at the beginning of the year — not only to come here and compete, but to come here and win.' Amorós said the team was 'over the moon' that it did just that. Advertisement Gotham recorded 23 shots, with seven on goal, while the Tigres registered only seven shots, none on target. González scored the winning goal when she found the back of the net off a rebound after her penalty kick was initially stopped. 'We really left it all out there and everyone really fought hard to the end,' defender Mandy Freeman told reporters. 'We deserved the win and we really earned it.' Advertisement 4 Gotham FC players react after winning the Concacaf Women's Champions Cup on May 24. REUTERS Gotham took pride in knowing they were bringing the inaugural regional championship trophy to the NWSL. 'It's always great to win a trophy with your team this early in the season, and I think this will help us going into our league games,' midfielder Jaelin Howell told reporters. 'It's great to win as a team and represent NWSL in this way.' Not only did the Concacaf Women's Champions Cup victory present Gotham, the 2023 NWSL champions, their second major trophy in two years, but it also secured them a spot in what's considered to be the top two women's club competitions in the world — the new 2026 FIFA Women's Champions Cup and the first FIFA Women's Club World Cup in 2028. Advertisement 4 Esther Gonzalez scored Gotham's only goal during their Concacaf Women's Champions Cup win on May 24. AP Gotham join Arsenal, who won the UEFA Women's Champions League Final on Saturday, as the only teams to have secured outright spots in the 2026 FIFA Women's Champions Cup semifinals in January. Wuhan Jiangda from China and Auckland United from Oceania have qualified for play-in games. The final two open spots are for South America and Africa. For now, Gotham are going to savor Saturday's win. 4 Gotham FC players celebrate with their medals after winning the Concacaf Women's Champions Cup win on May 24. AP 'It's really an honor to be walking back with a trophy and we're just glad to have been able to contribute on the field and go to the Club World Cup for the first time,' forward Sarah Schupansky told reporters. 'That's an incredible step forward for women's football and it's going to be really, really fun.' Gotham are set to return to NWSL June 7, when they host the KC Current at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
New York Post
25-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Gotham FC topples UANL Tigres to win first CONCACAF W Champions Cup
MONTERREY, México — Spain international Esther Gonzalez scored a late goal as Gotham FC defeated the UANL Tigres 1-0 on Saturday to win the first edition of the CONCACAF W Champions Cup. The 32-year-old striker Gonzalez secured the landmark win with a goal in the 82nd minute for the NWSL team. Earlier, Pietra Tordin, Payton Linnehan, and Olivia Moultrie scored as the Portland Thorns beat Club America 3-0 to secure third place in the tournament. Gotham FC players celebrate after their 1-0 win over UANL Tigres on May 24, 2025 to win the first edition of the CONCACAF W Champions Cup. AP Tordin opened the scoring just before half-time, Linnehan added a second in the 52nd and Moultrie sealed the win in the 81st. Gotham FC defeated Club America 3-1 on Wednesday to advance to the final, while Tigres, who lost in the Mexican Clausura quarterfinals, defeated the Portland Thorns 2-0 in their semifinal. The W Champions Cup is the region's annual women's club championship and will serve as the qualification event for the FIFA Women's Champions Cup, which launches next year.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gotham FC wins inaugural Concacaf Champions Cup with 1-0 victory over Tigres UANL
Gotham FC clinched the first-ever Concacaf W Champions Cup with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Tigres UANL in Monterrey, Mexico, on Saturday night, bringing the regional club tournament title to the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It is the club's first major trophy since winning the 2023 NWSL championship. The game's only goal came in the 82nd minute, when Gotham striker and NWSL Golden Boot frontrunner Esther González went to convert a penalty, after Tigres defender Jimena Lápez was caught holding and shoving Gotham center back Emily Sonnett in the box before a corner kick. Tigres keeper Itzel González blocked the shot, but this time, Esther González recycled the opportunity for higher value, rebounding the ball and knocking it into the back of the net. Advertisement Both sides had created promising scoring opportunities early in the match that tested the back lines, but none were successful until the final few minutes. In first-half stoppage time, Itzel González saved a penalty taken by Gotham striker Midge Purce to keep the score at zero. The Tigres-heavy crowd at the Estadio Universitario pulsed with energy as every crunching tackle or tricky call was met with an impassioned response. And there was a considerable amount of that; Tigres committed 12 fouls by the end of the match while Gotham committed 14. Gotham finished the game having taken 23 shots, seven of which were on target. 'I feel like we really left it all out there and everyone really fought hard to the end,' Gotham defender and team captain Mandy Freeman said. 'We deserved the win, and we really earned it.' Advertisement Gotham secured their place in the final with a 3-1 win over Club América on Wednesday's semi-final, which featured goals from Brazilian forward Geyse and Purce. (The third was an own goal.) The Portland Thorns, who lost to Tigres in their semi-final, beat América 3-0 in the bronze medal match on Saturday afternoon. 'I think this has been three years in the making and to finally have this moment to celebrate,' Freeman said. 'I mean, it's still not over, we still have the Women's [Club] World Cup championship, but right now we're really happy and excited.' Ahead of Saturday night's championship, Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós also acknowledged the team's three-year project coming to fruition in this tournament. 'We've been working incredibly hard — some of us for three seasons, if you include the [2023 NWSL] Championship year — to be here in May, with the chance to lift the trophy next to us and write our name into the history of the game,' he said. Advertisement Lifting their first trophy since 2023 could provide Gotham with the boost it needs to climb back up the NWSL table. They currently sit in ninth place, just outside of playoff contention, level on points with Bay FC and the North Carolina Courage, who play on Sunday. The FIFA Women's Club World Cup, originally set to debut in 2026, has been delayed until 2028. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Gotham FC, Soccer, International Football, NWSL 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Gotham FC wins inaugural Concacaf Champions Cup with 1-0 victory over Tigres UANL
Gotham FC clinched the first-ever Concacaf W Champions Cup with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Tigres UANL in Monterrey, Mexico, on Saturday night, bringing the regional club tournament title to the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It is the club's first major trophy since winning the 2023 NWSL championship. Advertisement The game's only goal came in the 82nd minute, when Gotham striker and NWSL Golden Boot frontrunner Esther González went to convert a penalty, after Tigres defender Jimena Lápez was caught holding and shoving Gotham center back Emily Sonnett in the box before a corner kick. Tigres keeper Itzel González blocked the shot, but this time, Esther González recycled the opportunity for higher value, rebounding the ball and knocking it into the back of the net. Both sides had created promising scoring opportunities early in the match that tested the back lines, but none were successful until the final few minutes. In first-half stoppage time, Itzel González saved a penalty taken by Gotham striker Midge Purce to keep the score at zero. The Tigres-heavy crowd at the Estadio Universitario pulsed with energy as every crunching tackle or tricky call was met with an impassioned response. And there was a considerable amount of that; Tigres committed 12 fouls by the end of the match while Gotham committed 14. Gotham finished the game having taken 23 shots, seven of which were on target. Esther González is the Superior Player of the Match presented by Michelob Ultra for her title-winning goal for Gotham! 🏅 — Concacaf W (@ConcacafW) May 25, 2025 'I feel like we really left it all out there and everyone really fought hard to the end,' Gotham defender and team captain Mandy Freeman said. 'We deserved the win, and we really earned it.' Gotham secured their place in the final with a 3-1 win over Club América on Wednesday's semi-final, which featured goals from Brazilian forward Geyse and Purce. (The third was an own goal.) The Portland Thorns, who lost to Tigres in their semi-final, beat América 3-0 in the bronze medal match on Saturday afternoon. 'I think this has been three years in the making and to finally have this moment to celebrate,' Freeman said. 'I mean, it's still not over, we still have the Women's [Club] World Cup championship, but right now we're really happy and excited.' Ahead of Saturday night's championship, Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós also acknowledged the team's three-year project coming to fruition in this tournament. 'We've been working incredibly hard — some of us for three seasons, if you include the [2023 NWSL] Championship year — to be here in May, with the chance to lift the trophy next to us and write our name into the history of the game,' he said. Advertisement Lifting their first trophy since 2023 could provide Gotham with the boost it needs to climb back up the NWSL table. They currently sit in ninth place, just outside of playoff contention, level on points with Bay FC and the North Carolina Courage, who play on Sunday. The FIFA Women's Club World Cup, originally set to debut in 2026, has been delayed until 2028.
