Gotham FC win NWSL Championship over OL Reign in final games for Rapinoe, victorious Krieger
Only one USWNT legend could go out on top in the 2023 NWSL Championship game, which saw Ali Krieger's Gotham FC overcome Megan Rapinoe's OL Reign 2-1 at Snapdragon Stadium.
The "NJ/NY" club won its first NWSL crown, having failed to reach a final as Sky Blue FC prior to rebranding in 2021.
The stars were out in the game, which saw USWNT forward Lynn Williams open the scoring for Gotham before Rose Lavelle answered four minutes later for the Reign. World Cup champion Esther Gonzalez secured the win with a goal in first-half stoppage time.
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Krieger and Rapinoe said goodbye to their playing careers in the contest, as the former left a champion and the latter departed the game after mere minutes due to injury.
Rapinoe's goodbye had a bitter taste as she left the match after three minutes following a non-contact injury. The 38-year-old later returned on the sideline in a walking boot.
Krieger, 39, is a USWNT centurion and two-time World Cup winner who has four times been named to the NWSL Best XI and twice more been Second XI.
Rapinoe won over 200 USWNT caps and two World Cups as well. She was twice named FIFPro World XI and was honored with the Ballon d'Or Feminin in 2019 after being named World Cup Final Player of the Match.
The Reign star is perhaps even wider known for her activism, fighting for equal pay for the USWNT and taking several high-profile stands as a social activist.
