Washington Spirit vs. Gotham FC, NWSL Championship: Trinity Rodman's status hangs over title match

Two star-studded teams in the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC will meet in San Jose for the NWSL Championship, a competitive match likely in store as each side chases their second league title, but the big question looms -- will Trinity Rodman play?

The pair took contrasting roads to the NWSL Championship, the No. 2 seed Spirit advancing as the favorites in their matchups while Gotham played spoiler as the No. 8 seed, eliminating the runaway NWSL Shield winners in the Kansas City Current and last year's champions Orlando Pride. To describe this as a David vs. Goliath-type game would be a misnomer, though, Gotham have been inconsistent, but they won the Championship just two years ago and boast an MVP nominee in Esther Gonzalez.

While Gonzalez and new Gotham recruict Jaedyn Shaw headline Juan Carlos Amoros' team, the attention will also be squarely on the Spirit's Rodman. She returned from an MCL sprain in a very brief cameo in the Spirit's 2-0 win over the Portland Thorns last week, her exact status unclear, but the latest is that she was not on the official injury report and her coach Adrian Gonzalez says she is 'available.' 

If there is any game she could play, though, it just might be one where there's a trophy on the line – in what could be her final NWSL game, her contract expiring upon the conclusion of the season.

How to watch the NWSL Championship, odds

• Date: Saturday, Nov. 22 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Location: PayPal Park -- San Jose, Calif.
• TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
• Odds: Washington Spirit +130; Draw +210; Gotham FC +190
• Live updates: Spirit vs. Gotham

Projected lineups

Washington Spirit: Aubrey Kingsbury, Rosemonde Kouassi, Esme Morgan, Rebeca Bernal, Tara McKeown, Kate Weisner, Hal Hershfelt, Leicy Santos, Croix Bethune, Trinity Rodman, Gift Monday

Rodman's availability will be the big talking point on Saturday, in large part because the Spirit are a different team when she is on the field. They have won nine of the 16 games she has played this season and posted a +15 goal differential along the way, while the number of wins dwindles to four in 11 games she did not play with a goal differential of -3. If Rodman cannot start, though, Italy international Sofia Cantore could fill in after starting against the Thorns while the Spirit's attacking plans will run through Gift Monday regardless, the Nigerian scoring 10 goals so far this season.

Gotham FC: Ann-Katrin Berger, Bruninha, Emily Sonnett, Jess Carter, Lily Reale, Jaelin Howell, Jaedyn Shaw, Rose Lavelle, Gabi Portillo, Midge Purce, Esther Gonzalez

Gotham's defensive stability has kept them afloat in a year of inconsistent attacking output, though not from a lack of effort on Gonzalez's part. The Spain international has 13 goals this season, just two behind MVp winner Temwa Chawinga, and Shaw's scintillating form has helped Gotham make up some of the attacking deficit left behind after Yazmeen Ryan and Lynn Biyendolo's departures in the offseason. Rose Lavelle is also in strong form, connecting expertly with international teammate Shaw to revive Gotham's offense at just the right time.

Prediction

There is motivation and narrative to support either team's argument, setting up for a closely-contested Championship game – and perhaps a spicy one, if last year's semifinal in which the Spirit ousted Gotham on penalty kicks is anything to go by. This one will likely come down to a moment of brilliance from a star and there is no one who is more in-form than Shaw. She has two goals and an assist during Gotham's postseason run, a contribution on each and every goal they have scored in the playoffs so far. She has helped them pull off two upsets in a row, a third not exactly out of reach for a roster just as stacked as the one they will face. Pick: Washington Spirit 1, Gotham FC 2 (after extra time)