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There were concerns that Aston Villa would wane under Unai Emery’s management after a frustrating and turbulent summer transfer window that left the club with more questions than answers.

But the emphatic 4-0 win over Bournemouth before the November international break sealed Villa’s fifth win from six Premier League matches, lifting them up to sixth in the standings, just two points off third-place Chelsea.

That Anfield defeat stands as the one dot on the recent copybook, rather than a new and wider concern for Emery as his side lose their form and verve once again.

This team is ready to challenge for a Champions League spot and compete for silverware, domestically and abroad. The stars are rising to the occasion – again. Two of the club’s most important players stepped up big time against the Cherries.

The Villa stars who are stepping up

Aston Villa smashed Bournemouth on Sunday and four different Villans got themselves on the scoresheet. But it was the defensive third that arguably shone brightest, limiting the visitors to just 0.23 xG (expected goals) from open play.

Credit to Ezri Konsa – again. The 28-year-old has grown into one of the finest defenders in the country since joining Villa Park from Bristol City in July 2019.

Now, maturing as a leader, Konsa’s completeness at the rear has led Sky Sports’ Dan Bardell to claim he “gets into every Premier League team” apart from table-toppers Arsenal.

And, again, we must draw praise toward Emi Martinez, whose stormy summer on an individual level saw him come close to joining Manchester United. He wanted this move and left Villa Park at the end of the 2024/25 campaign with tearful eyes and grateful gesticulations toward the fans.

But the Argentina goalkeeper has been as strong as ever this year, and his penalty save against Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo proved significant in snuffing out danger and capitalising.

There was another star away from the offensive action at the weekend who continued his rise in form. Indeed, this defender has shaped into one of the Premier League’s finest in one regard.

The Villa star now "among the best in the league"

Continuity. At times, an underrated facet in football. Aston Villa’s backline have developed together over three campaigns, largely unaltered. This has drawbacks, because the football is always evolving and it never stops, but the intuitiveness across the back four and Martinez too emphasises the strength of Emery’s tactics.

He makes players better, and Matty Cash is a perfect example of this. The right-back joined Villa from Nottingham Forest for £16m in 2020, and he has since played 195 matches for the Midlands outfit, posting 12 goals and 12 assists apiece.

Now, the 28-year-old is considered a core part of the side, having started all 11 matches in the Premier League this season.

With such energy and gusto to blend attacking and defensive sides of the right-back game, Cash has made headway after an up-and-down 2024/25 season, thus negating the chinks in the right-side armour.

This was showcased perfectly against Andoni Iraola’s south coast side. So dangerous are Bournemouth on the counter, their forwards as electric as they come. But they left with neither points nor consolation strikes last weekend, and Cash was instrumental in that.

Matty Cash vs Bournemouth

Match Stats

#

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

53

Accurate passes

19/27 (70%)

Shots (on target)

1 (1)

Tackles won

1/2

Clearances

2

Ground duels won

3/7

Data via Sofascore

Up against it, Cash kept the Cherries’ threatening forwards at bay while contributing offensively, enjoying the first chance of the game and providing a dynamic outlet down the right channel. For this, Birmingham Live’s John Townley awarded him an 8/10 match rating.

This was corroborated by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, in fact, who marvelled at the full-back’s display and hailed him as being “among the best in the league” when it comes to defending, aggression and mentality.

All told, Cash is a perfect example of a player who has embraced a manager’s tactics and worked tooth and nail toward an influential role. Villa are looking to go all the way in the Europa League, but also fight for the ascendancy in the Premier League and continue a journey which has gripped the fanbase since returning to the big time.

He has been one of the defining elements of this story, and he’s now one of the best in the division.

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This former Man United star was billed for big things before his time at the club fizzled out.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 4, 2025

There's been plenty of MLB trades, with plenty more to come, ahead of Thursday's deadline. While it's common for pitchers to be dealt in trades, especially relievers, a first-time instance (according to Sportsnet) happened on Wednesday when twins Tyler and Taylor Rogers were both traded from their respective teams.

Tyler was dealt to the Mets from the Giants in what was deemed an uneven trade between the two teams. In return for Rogers, the Giants received the team's No. 10 prospect pitcher Blade Tidwell and No. 12 prospect outfielder Drew Gilbert, as well as veteran reliever Jose Butto.

Taylor was sent to the Pirates from the Reds along with infielder Sammy Stafura and cash considerations. The Reds received third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes on the other side of the deal.

The Rogers twins will be much closer in distance to each other now, as Tyler will be in New York and Taylor will be in Pittsburgh.

The twins are not scheduled to face each other for the rest of the MLB season, but they already did play against each other back in April when the Reds and Giants played at Oracle Park. They both pitched for the Giants from 2023-24 when Taylor was on the squad. Tyler spent his entire career since 2019 in San Francisco until he was traded on Wednesday.

England thrive in powerplays but pay price for timid mid-innings batting with Alana King instrumental

Valkerie Baynes22-Oct-2025

Annabel Sutherland and Ash Gardner ripped the contest from England’s grasp•Getty Images

Australia 248 for 4 (Gardner 104*, Sutherland 98*) beat England 244 for 9 (Beaumont 78, Sutherland 3-60) by six wicketsIndomitable Australia were at it again, this time with an unbroken 180-run stand between Annabel Sutherland and Ash Gardner which dug them out of early trouble and put them back into top spot on the World Cup table with a six-wicket win against England.It almost feels misguided to use the word “trouble” when it comes to an Australian side packed with so many gifted allrounders and boasting such depth that someone, anyone, in their XI can always get the job done.On Wednesday in Indore, where Australia lurched to 24 for 3 then 68 for 4, it was Sutherland and Gardner, who proved so dominant in their pursuit of 245 that they inadvertently turned the closing stages into a battle over who would reach a century first.Gardner did it, rocking back with intent to steer a Lauren Bell delivery to the boundary through deep third. She’d romped there from 69 balls, yet three dot balls followed to give Sutherland the strike, with four runs needed for victory and five for her ton.Sutherland attempted a six off Sophie Ecclestone and miscued high over cover where Heather Knight spilled the chance. Though she got back on strike with a two, a subsequent single left her at the non-striker’s end on 98, with Gardner hitting the winning boundary as Australia cruised to victory with 57 balls to spare.Both had played their part with the ball too in restricting England to 244 for 9. Sutherland claimed three wickets and Gardner two while legspinner Alana King was instrumental in smothering England through the middle overs with a miserly eight-over spell. She yielded just 13 runs while claiming the big wicket of Nat Sciver-Brunt for just 7. King finished with 1 for 20 from 10.Tammy Beaumont found form with the bat but, without her half-century and a late charge by seventh-wicket pair Alice Capsey and Charlie Dean, England would have been worse off than defending a total that still looked sub-par against a side as strong as Australia.Australia celebrate the DRS review that sent Heather Knight on her way•Getty Images

So it proved as Australia – missing injured captain, wicketkeeper and in-form batter Alyssa Healy – consigned England to their first defeat of the tournament.After a best score of 32 from five innings at this World Cup, Beaumont stood up for England with 78, sharing a 55-run opening stand with Amy Jones. Capsey was the only member of England’s struggling middle-order to make a significant contribution with 38 off 32 balls, while Dean provided another helpful cameo from No.8, this time worth 26 from 27 as the pair put on 61 runs together.It looked briefly like their efforts might have been good enough when new-ball duo Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith sent Australia reeling.Bell’s third ball was a gem which moved away from left-hander Phoebe Litchfield, whizzed past the outside edge and took out off stump. It was the first time in 33 ODI innings that Litchfield had been dismissed in the first over.Healy pursed her lips and shook her head in the dug-out as she watched a replay of her batting replacement, Georgia Voll, bottom-edging a slog-sweep off Smith onto off stump, losing her balance and toppling onto the ground into a backward somersault to complete the indignity.Smith claimed her second with a simple return catch off Ellyse Perry’s leading edge as she backed away from a shorter delivery, while stand-in skipper Beth Mooney was left chewing her top lip after she spooned Sophie Ecclestone to midwicket, where Sciver-Brunt took a sharp catch dive-rolling to her left.Sutherland looked scratchy early in her rescue mission but she settled into a rhythm, moving into the 40s with a powerful slog-sweep off Smith and clearing the covers off Dean for four to bring up her fifty. She then skipped down the pitch to Bell and steered another boundary expertly between extra cover and mid-off.Linsey Smith struck in her second over as Georgia Voll played on•ICC/Getty Images

Gardner raised her half-century with a glorious pulled four off Sciver-Brunt but didn’t stop there, adding two more straight away, a carbon copy of the first followed by a lofted drive down the ground.From there the Australian duo made their task look easy, Gardner becoming particularly aggressive with three consecutive fours off Capsey and three more off Ecclestone’s ninth over to move ahead of Sutherland.Earlier, Kim Garth, who replaced fellow seamer Darcie Brown in the Australian side, and Megan Schutt were wayward with their lines and lengths and the England openers capitalised. England reached 55 for 0 in eight overs, which was already their highest powerplay total of the tournament.But Sutherland’s introduction to the attack delivered instant rewards with a wicket maiden as she plucked out Jones, playing inside the line of a perfect ball on the top of off stump, and when Garth closed out the powerplay with her own maiden to Beaumont, Australia’s mid-innings fightback was underway.After a wise Australia review removed Knight, lbw to Sophie Molineux, King backed up the excellent economy of her player-of-the-match performance against Bangladesh and was rewarded with the wicket of Sciver-Brunt, lured down the pitch and skewing the ball to Sutherland at mid-off.King extracted prolific turn and bounce, her initial spell coinciding with a period between the 20th and 30th overs in which England added just 26 runs. Australia, by contrast, would rack up 77 for 0 in the same spell of their reply.A cool-headed catch by Voll, playing her first World Cup match, removed Beaumont. Feeling the need to pick up England’s tempo, Beaumont took on Sutherland’s slower ball as Voll ran backwards at long-on, parried the ball back into play as she toppled over the boundary rope, and stepped calmly back inside to complete the catch.It was a back-of-the-hand slower ball from Sutherland which extended Emma Lamb’s wretched tournament when she was bowled off her pads for 7, and after struggling for rhythm in her 22 from 48 balls, Sophia Dunkley misread a Gardner delivery, advancing and heaving towards the leg side as the ball spun past the outside edge. Mooney whipped off the bails as she tried in vain to make her ground.Capsey defied her lean run at No. 7 with back-to-back fours off Sutherland, taking her past her previous best of 20 for this tournament. But when she was pinned on the pad by Molineux and Dean chipped Gardner to cover two balls later, Australia wrested back control.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Raposa irá reencontrar o Corinthians nesta quarta-feira (10), às 21h30 (de Brasília), pela primeira partida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. O jogo marcará também outro duelo entre o Cruzeiro e Dorival Júnior, embate que já aconteceu 25 vezes.

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Em mais de 20 de anos de encontros, os jogos entre as duas partes tem muito equilíbrio, mas o técnico leva ligeira vantagem. Até o momento, ele venceu nove duelos, os mineiros venceram sete e em nove oportunidades os jogos ficaram empatados.

➡️Tudo sobre o Cabuloso agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Cruzeiro

Entretanto, em seu trabalho no Corinthians, o Cruzeiro ainda não foi batido por Dorival Júnior. Os clubes se enfrentaram duas vezes, com um empate em 0 a 0 na Neo Química Arena, e um atropelo que resultou no placar de 3 a 0 para a Raposa no Mineirão.

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Um dado curioso sobre o duelo é que, apesar da vantagem de vitórias do treinador do Corinthians, o saldo de gols é zero. Nos 25 confrontos, o Cabuloso marcou 33 gols e sofreu o mesmo número. Esta será também a primeira vez que o técnico enfrenta o clube mineiro pela Copa do Brasil.

Estatísticas do Cruzeiro contra Dorival Júnior7 vitórias do Cruzeiro9 vitórias dos times de Dorival Júnior9 empates33 gols marcados pelo Cruzeiro33 gols sofridos pelo CruzeirCruzeiro x Corinthians

Cruzeiro e Corinthians irão se enfrentar nesta quarta-feira (10), às 21h30 (de Brasília), no Mineirão, pela partida de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil.

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No fim de semana, a Raposa conseguiu confirmar uma posição importante no Campeonato Brasileiro ao voltar a ficar entre os três primeiros colocados. Antes disso, a melhor colocação celeste havia sido no título brasileiro de 2014.

Além disso, o retrospecto é positivo para o Cruzeiro. Nos últimos cinco jogos contra o Timão, o Cabuloso perdeu apenas um, por 2 a 1, no segundo turno do Brasileirão de 2024. Antes, havia vencido por 3 a 0 em casa e empatado em 1 a 1 em 2023. Nesta temporada, empatou em 0 a 0 na Neo Química Arena e passeou no Mineirão com um 3 a 0.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilCruzeiroFutebol Nacional

Defending one-day champions South Australia claimed a nine-wicket win over Queensland, banking a bonus point in their rain-marred victory.As rain restricted the match to a maximum 25 overs each, Queensland were bowled out for 128 in 23.5 overs at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide. The hosts were set 120 to win under the DLS method and won with with 47 balls to spare.Related

• McAndrew's five gets defending champions South Australia up and running

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SA, the holders of the Dean Jones Trophy, now have two wins from four games – the same as Queensland.Their run chase was given early impetus by Jake Fraser-McGurk, who blasted six fours in making 27 from 14 balls. Fraser-McGurk’s cameo ended when bowled by a superb off-cutter from James Bazley.But opener Mackenzie Harvey and captain Nathan McSweeney then set about the chase with the bonus point in mind.South Australia needed to win inside 20 overs and Harvey and McSweeney easily reached that goal with an unbroken 80-run partnership.Earlier, Queensland slipped to 13 for 2 inside five overs before a lengthy rain delay. On return, only veteran Jimmy Peirson managed an innings of substance, smacking three sixes and three fours in making 42 from 83 ballsThe only other Queenslanders to reach double-figures were Bazley, Hugh Weibgen and Max Bryant. The visitors failed to bat out their 25 overs as SA skipper McSweeney claimed 3 for 12 from 3.1 overs with his offspinners. McSweeney had initially brought himself on when Wes Agar couldn’t complete his second over.Liam Scott and Lloyd Pope also enjoyed multiple success and paceman Nathan McAndrew returned figures of 1 for 7 from four overs.

Borussia Dortmund have set their sights on Quinten Timber, the twin brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien, after the midfielder’s impressive run of form under Robin van Persie at Feyenoord. The 24-year-old, who joined the Dutch club in 2022, continues to attract interest across Europe as his future in Rotterdam remains uncertain.

Dortmund scout Timber amid contract stand-off

According to , the Dortmund scouts were present during Feyenoord’s Europa League clash against Stuttgart to watch the 24-year-old midfielder closely. Timber's strong form has kept him on the radar of several top clubs, while the Dutch club remains locked in talks to extend his contract beyond 2026. Meanwhile, the Bundesliga club will be hoping to catch the Dutchman’s attention after an up-and-down transfer window this summer. Dortmund missed out on several key targets, including Arsenal wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri and Brighton’s Facundo Buonanotte, who is now on loan to Chelsea. The club was also keen to bring in Manchester City’s Claudio Echeverri on loan with an option to buy, but Bayer Leverkusen beat them to it and secured a straight loan deal instead.

AdvertisementAFPWest Ham reignite interest amid Dortmund's chase

Dortmund, however, are not alone in the chase. Premier League club West Ham United have also reignited their interest in Timber after manager Nuno Espirito Santo approved the move. Nuno had been keen on signing Timber during his time at Nottingham Forest and continues to rate him highly.

Despite the speculation, Timber remains an important figure at Feyenoord. He lost the captain’s armband this summer to Sem Steijn, with Van Persie explaining that the decision was linked to the midfielder's ongoing contract talks. Still, the Dutch international has been a regular in the starting XI, making 14 appearances this season with two goals and one assist.

It’s either extend or sell for Feyenoord

Quinten’s twin brother, Arsenal defender Jurrien, had spoken earlier about his brother’s situation during the Netherlands camp in September, stating that another year with the Dutch club would be good for his brother. 

"Another year at Feyenoord would be nice, wouldn’t it?"

However, it isn't for the Dutch side. If Timber plays another season without signing a new deal, he could leave for free, something the club will want to avoid at any cost. The Dutch club already turned down a bid from Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer, but interest in him has only grown since. 

"There was very serious interest in him," club CEO Dennis te Kloese told in September.

“It didn’t happen, but not because we didn’t want to cooperate. Now, the question remains whether we’ll extend the contract or not. Well, we have time to have a cup of coffee now. We have very good contact with him; we don’t notice anything wrong with him. He’s very professional,” he added.

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Getty Images SportWhat's next for Timber and Feyenoord?

Despite Timber’s strong performances, Feyenoord’s season has been inconsistent. They sit second in the Eredivisie with nine wins from 12 games, trailing leaders PSV, but their Europa League campaign has been disappointing, with just one win in four matches, leaving them in the bottom half of their group. With Van Persie backing his midfield star and major clubs keeping a close watch, Timber could be the next big name to leave De Kuip, and Dortmund will be hoping this time, the deal goes their way.

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois de cinco anos de espera, o Ceará volta ser campeão do Campeonato Cearense. Após um empate por 1 a 1 no tempo normal, a taça foi decidida nos pênaltis e teve Richard, goleiro do Vozão, como herói da conquista. Nas penalidades, deu Vozão por 3 a 2.

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⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?
O jogo começou com tudo. Equilibrado, o duelo reunia a vontade do Ceará de vencer a qualquer custo e o empenho tático do Fortaleza, que esperava um erro do rival para sair na frente. Mesmo assim, o primeiro tempo ficou marcado por poucas chances dos dois lados, com os destaques sendo Saulo Mineiro, pelo Ceará, e Lucas Sasha, pelo Fortaleza.

No segundo tempo, Saulo Mineiro seguiu se destacando, e acabou premiado com um golaço na segunda etapa. Animado, o Ceará segurou até o momento que pode, mas o artilheiro Lucero, com sua classe de sempre, empatou de cabeça. Após isso, o equilíbrio voltou, mas o Fortaleza perdeu Bruno Pacheco, expulso da partida. Com o empate, tudo acabou decidido nos pênaltis.

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Nos pênaltis, a parada só foi decidida após cinco cobranças, com o Ceará vencendo por 3 a 2 e o goleiro Richard sendo o herói.

➡️ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

O Ceará volta a campo nesta quarta-feira (10), às 21h30, contra o Sport, pela Copa do Nordeste. O Fortaleza recebe o Nacional Potosí, às 19h, também na quarta-feira (10), pela Copa Sul-americana. Os dois jogos acontecem no Castelão.

Tudo sobre

Campeonato CearenseCearáFortaleza

LOS ANGELES — Sometimes, a Dodgers player will check the news and find his name in it, alongside his manager’s. Dave Roberts has told the media—and through them, the fans—that he finds something about the player’s performance unacceptable. The player is rarely surprised. 

This week, it has been star shortstop Mookie Betts: “I think he’s pressing,” was Roberts’s diagnosis after Betts went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Game 5 of the World Series to bring his series batting average to .130. “You can see there’s a little anxiousness there.”

This is an unusual approach for a modern manager. This October, Padres skipper Mike Shildt praised right fielder Fernando Tatís’s at-bat quality all the way through his 1-for-12 National League wild-card series. Cubs manager Craig Counsell discounted the idea that Pete Crow-Armstrong was trying to do too much even as the center fielder swung at breaking balls in the dirt. Yankees skipper Aaron Boone spent much of the summer insisting that shortstop Anthony Volpe, who over a two-week stretch in August had more errors (two) than hits (one), had just been unlucky. Six days after the Blue Jays bounced the Yankees from the playoffs, Volpe underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. 

Meanwhile, last week, Roberts told the assembled media that the Dodgers would not win the World Series if two-way star Shohei Ohtani’s at-bats did not improve. 

PHILLIPS: Inside the Numbers of the Dodgers’ Postseason Offensive Collapse

You might expect that sort of public criticism to rankle his players. They say it does the opposite. 

“I’ve always loved it,” says third baseman Max Muncy. “When he comes out and says things in statements to the media, it’s not anything he hasn’t told the player before. So the player is never being caught off guard. And sometimes as players, you need to feel that pressure. If he’s just talking to you and he says it, that’s one thing, but if he talks to you and says it, and then you see it on MLB Network, then it’s like, ”

Roberts sees that level of candor as part of his job. 

“I think it’s important for them, for the fans and the media to know that I have certain standards and expectations, and it’s not an embarrassment [thing], it's a transparency [thing],” he says. “And I think that they know that I root for them as hard as anyone else, and so when I’m honest with the media, I think that’s why it lands. I am also the first to support them and back them when things aren’t going well, but I do feel that there’s times where I feel like I gotta be honest with what everyone’s seeing, and I just think that I’ve built enough equity with our guys that they know that I’m not just trying to embarrass them.”

Manchester United are now about to sign a South American wonderkid, according to reports, who is “on his way” to seal his move.

Man Utd have "no excuses", says Amorim

After a frustrating defeat against Everton at Old Trafford on Monday, the last thing that Man United need is a trip to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Those are the cards they’ve been dealt, however, and Ruben Amorim’s side now have the task of getting back to winning ways at one of the toughest grounds in the Premier League.

Man Utd in contact and lead race to sign attacking talent likened to Neymar

The Red Devils have a keen eye for talent overseas and could be about to rock the South American market in their latest pursuit.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 29, 2025

The Man United boss has no time for excuses this season, though – telling reporters in the build-up: “In our club it’s the same thing because last year we had to win every game all the time and we took a lot of things, a lot of criticism because we were not winning.

“So, in our club, there is no excuses. About Europe, I already talked about Europe, and I said the same thing last year when we were in Europe and I say the same thing this year, the advantage and the disadvantage of not being in Europe. So, there is no excuses. Last year or this year, we have always to win games.”

Victory could take the Red Devils to as high as fourth if other results go their way in what would be a major boost after 13 games. Defeat, meanwhile, could see them drop down to as low as 14th in familiar territory to last season.

INEOS and Amorim will know just how important Champions League qualification is on and off the pitch. Away from the action, it would allow them to attract the likes of Elliot Anderson, who now also has the interest of Manchester City.

It would also make them an attractive option for more young players, having already agreed a deal to sign South American youngster Cristian Orozco.

Cristian Orozco now "on his way" to sign for Man Utd

According to Fabrizio Romano, Orozco is now “on his way” to sign for Man United and travelling with lead scout Giuseppe Antonaccio after INEOS completed a deal worth $1m (£750,000) with Fortaleza.

Those at Old Trafford have signed the 17-year-old in the hope that he follows the same path that others have done so many times before in South America.

The Premier League is littered with several stars who launched careers in South America before reaching stardom in English football. Usually, it’s been the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion taking full advantage, but Chelsea and now Man United are beginning to take full advantage.

The Blues now have one of the best teenagers in the world in Estevao Willian and if Orozco is anywhere near as talented as the winger then United have hit the jackpot.

Man Utd eye move for £80m star who Man City would "love" to buy in January

With everything on the line, here's how Gotham FC can top the Spirit for the 2025 NWSL Championship.

For the second time in three years, Gotham have charged into the NWSL Championship after delivering upsets to higher-ranked teams. Jaedyn Shaw disagrees that they’re underdogs, per se (see: “underdog, my ass” comment after they downed Kansas City), but they’ve been the surprise story of the postseason. Saturday night, they could take their Cinderella run all the way to the title. Here’s a few reasons why they might:

• Getty Images
  

  Reason 1: Defensive strength

  Simply put, Gotham is hard to score on. In part, that’s because they have one of the best goalkeepers in the league (more on that shortly). But notably, they also don’t allow their opposition many chances to score. With a team that defends from the front, a midfield that’s hard to cut through, and a solid defensive line waiting behind, Gotham finished the 2025 season having allowed just 76 shots on target. That’s an average of 3 per game and is tied with the first-place Shield winners, Kansas City, for fewest shots on goal allowed in NWSL. 

  There’s a number of reasons they’re dynamic defensively, and it involves players across all of their lines. Emily Sonnett is in top form as a leader in their backline. Rookie of the Year Lilly Reale awaits her opportunity at left back to thwart Rose Kouassi creating from the right. Jaelin Howell, who just earned her first USWNT callup since 2022, could have a massive match as she jockeys for control of the midfield. 

  As a team that likes to have possession, they’re also effective at limiting the opposition by reducing their opportunities to get on the ball. The Spirit are also hard to score on, but they allowed 107 shots on target throughout the season, averaging four per game. They also conceded 33 total throughout the year, compared to Gotham’s 25. In a game of margins, that could matter.

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• Getty Images
  

  Reason 2: Ann-Katrin Berger

  Gotham may have the Rookie of the Year (Lilly Reale), but they’re also stocked with veteran talent. One of Gotham’s most essential veterans is 35-year-old German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger. 

  Berger was named Goalkeeper of the Year in 2024 and was nominated in 2025 after another strong season cleaning up the few shots that Gotham does allow. Berger’s steady presence has been pivotal for club and country the past few years. The German keeper helped see her team to an Olympic bronze medal in 2024 and a semi-final finish at Euro ‘25 with clutch penalty heroics and massive saves. 

  This postseason, Berger has come through for Gotham multiple times. She made seven essential saves in their upset of Kansas City, and was called on to make a few key ones against Orlando to see them to the final. Saturday in San Jose, she could be a difference maker.

• Getty Images
  

  Reason 3: Peaking at the right time

  The Washington Spirit finished the season in a comfortable second-place position and have been the more consistently strong team throughout the year. But Gotham is glistening at the moment, with multiple players hitting their top form at just the right time. 

  That includes USWNT midfielder Rose Lavelle, who was out with injury in the first half of the year but has five goals and two assists in 16 games since returning. That also includes 20-year-old Jaedyn Shaw, who joined Gotham in early September and has looked like a unique talent finally in the right spot with the move. 

  Shaw has been electric for Gotham in the postseason, scoring in both of their playoff tests, including the stoppage-time match-winner against Orlando. The team’s top scorer, Spanish striker Esther Gonzalez, is just returning from injury and hasn’t scored in five games, isn’t in her top form of the season. But Esther has scored game-deciding goals for Gotham in two previous trophy matches. If she catches fire Saturday night, it’ll be hard to discount this ‘underdog’ team that’s hitting its collective stride at precisely the right moment.

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  Championship

  Gotham FC will face the Spirit on Saturday, November 22 at 5pm ET on CBS and Paramount+.