Orlando Pride Vs Gotham Fc as the rematch arrives: Lavelle’s milestone night and two lineups set for 7 p.m. ET

orlando pride vs gotham fc takes center stage Sunday at 7 p. m. ET at Sports Illustrated Stadium, with Gotham FC captain Rose Lavelle set to make her 100th NWSL regular-season appearance and both clubs confirming their starting XIs and benches ahead of kickoff.

What Happens When Orlando Pride Vs Gotham Fc begins at 7 p. m. ET?

The matchup is framed as a rematch of the 2025 NWSL semifinals, adding immediate edge to a night that also carries a personal milestone for Lavelle, who will start and captain Gotham FC. Gotham enters the game after a 2-0 loss to Denver Summit FC on Wednesday, prompting two changes in head coach Juan Carlos Amorós’s starting lineup for Sunday.

Lavelle is one of those changes, stepping into the XI and partnering in midfield with Savannah McCaskill and Jaelin Howell. Howell’s inclusion extends her run of 20 consecutive starts for the club, and she is one of four Gotham players to have played every minute this season.

Gotham’s other lineup change is the return of Spanish striker Esther González to the starting group after she came off the bench against Denver. In the attack, González leads the line with Katie Lampson positioned to the left and Sarah Schupansky shifting to the right wing.

On the other side, Orlando arrives with a lineup that features just one change from the team’s 3-0 win over Chicago on Wednesday. Rafaelle returns to the starting XI, lining up next to Hailie Mace, while Hannah Anderson moves to the bench as an available option.

What If the lineup details shape the match’s early tone?

Gotham’s continuity at the back remains a defining detail on the teamsheet. The club’s backline is unchanged for a third straight match, with Kayla Duran and Lilly Reale at fullback and Jess Carter alongside Emily Sonnett in central defense. Sonnett enters Sunday’s match 99 minutes shy of 15, 000 for her NWSL career, another notable benchmark on a night already centered on Lavelle’s century appearance.

In goal, Ann-Katrin Berger starts and will lead from between the posts in her 50th career regular-season appearance and start for Gotham FC. Berger is also chasing a win milestone: she is looking for her 27th career win, which would move her past Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC) for 11th-most wins by a goalkeeper with a single NWSL club.

Orlando’s confirmed starters are Anna Moorhouse; Oihane; Hailie Mace; Rafaelle; Cori Dyke; Haley McCutcheon (captain); Ally Lemos; Angelina; Jacquie Ovalle; Solai Washington; and Barbra Banda. The substitutes available for the Pride are Cara Martin, Hannah Anderson, Summer Yates, Luana, Marta, Julie Doyle, Seven Castain, Reagan Raabe, and Simone Jackson.

Gotham’s substitutes bench is listed as goalkeeper Shelby Hogan; defender Tierna Davidson; midfielders Sofia Cook and Talia Sommer; and forwards Jordynn Dudley, Khyah Harper, Andrea Kitahata, Midge Purce, and Mak Whitham. The availability report also notes Gotham defenders Bruninha and Mandy Freeman, plus midfielders Jaedyn Shaw and Taryn Torres, remain out due to injury. Gotham’s newest signing, Guro Reiten, is still awaiting visa approval before joining the team in the United States.

What If key milestones and availability issues decide the margins?

Lavelle’s 100th regular-season appearance sits at the heart of Gotham’s pregame narrative. At 30, she will become the 125th NWSL player to reach the milestone, adding to a resume that includes winning the 2025 NWSL Championship with match MVP honors, the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the 2024 Olympics. Her role as captain on Sunday also emphasizes Gotham’s intent to respond after Wednesday’s setback.

González returns to the XI with additional individual benchmarks in view. She scored Gotham’s lone goal of the 2026 campaign in the season opener against the Boston Legacy on March 14. The Spanish international is one game-winning goal shy of setting the club record and sits three goals away from Sam Kerr’s club record of 28.

For Orlando, the headlining update is Rafaelle’s return to the starting defense after an injury absence. With the Pride making only one change from their midweek win over Chicago, the selection signals continuity and confidence in a group that will now be tested on the road against a Gotham side balancing both response and celebration.

As orlando pride vs gotham fc approaches kickoff at 7 p. m. ET, the storylines are unusually clean and specific: a milestone captain in Lavelle, a striker restored to the XI in González, a steady Gotham backline unchanged again, and an Orlando lineup that largely holds its shape with Rafaelle returning to the start.