Gotham FC Faces Spirit in Queens Classic Rematch

Gotham FC and Washington Spirit Set for Queens Classic Rematch

Get ready for a thrilling showdown! The NWSL is bringing back a championship rematch as Gotham FC takes on the Washington Spirit at City Field on July 15th. This exciting event, dubbed the Queens Classic, will be broadcast live on ESPN and the ESPN app, kicking off at 8 PM Eastern. Gotham FC, with its four World Cup winners, faces off against a Washington Spirit squad featuring the electrifying superstar Trinity Rodman.

Jaedyn Shaw Shares Her Excitement

Joining us to talk about this highly anticipated match is Olympic gold medalist Jaedyn Shaw. Shaw, a key player for Gotham FC, expressed her enthusiasm for the Queens Classic. “Yeah, I’m so excited,” Shaw said. “I think that we’re going to get an amazing crowd out there in Queens.” Playing in New York, the team’s home turf, means a lot to the players. “I think for all of us, we’re just like really excited to play in front of more of our home fans,” Shaw added. “Being able to be in New York because we are the New York and New Jersey team.” The tri-state area is known for its passionate sports fans, and Shaw expects them to show up in full force. “Yeah, look, we know New York and New Jersey, the tri-state area, they’re going to show up and show out.”

Rematch of the Championship Game

Gotham FC defeated the Washington Spirit 1-0 in last year’s championship game. Now, with the target on their backs, Gotham FC is preparing for another tough contest against their rivals. “Yeah, I think for us, just knowing that the target is going to be on our back and we’re going to need to come out and put a performance on against a team that has historically been really great and is our rival,” Shaw explained. The team plans to stick to their style of play and put on a show for their home crowd. “So I think for us just, you know, going out there doing what we normally do, you know, bring our style of play to this game and put on a show in front of our home fans.”

Aggressive Mindset for the Rivalry

When facing a rival in a high-stakes rematch, the mindset has to be aggressive from the start. “Yeah, I mean, we have to come out, we have to be aggressive, we have to imprint our mark on this game early on and just show who we are,” Shaw stated. The energy from their championship win will be crucial. “Um, and yeah, I think just continue to take on the energy that we brought into that championship game and into this game as well.”

Shaw’s Olympic Journey and Lessons Learned

Shaw also touched on her recent Olympic gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, achieved before she turned 21. Despite being injured for most of the tournament, the experience was incredibly valuable. “It was like a interesting experience for me just because I was injured for basically majority of the tournament,” Shaw shared. “So I think for me just knowing that there were so much so many learnings so many things that I can be so grateful for to be a part of in that time frame that I’m going to take on with me into the next coming years.” Her mother is currently keeping the gold medal safe at home. Shaw described her family’s reaction as overwhelming, filled with tears of joy and immense pride. “Yeah, I mean, of course, tears of joy,” she said. “My grandparents, my family, they were all there for the entire tournament and yeah, they were they were just so excited.” Sharing these moments with her family, who made significant sacrifices, is what drives her. “It’s an amazing feeling to be able to share that with them.”

Cowboys Fan’s Hope for the Season

As a proud Dallas native, Shaw was asked about her hometown NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys. While she expressed her unwavering support, she remained cautiously optimistic about their chances of reaching a conference championship. “I mean, I feel like as a Dallas native, I have to say that this is going to be the Super Bowl year,” Shaw admitted with a smile. “However, I’m not going to say that with my full chest because I am an ‘ass’ Cowboys fan. But don’t get me wrong, I love my boys. They are the boys and we going to stick behind them the whole way through.”

The Queens Classic promises to be an unmissable event, showcasing top NWSL talent in a highly anticipated rematch.

Source: Jaedyn Shaw joins to discuss playing in the upcoming Queens Classic | SportsCenter (YouTube)