Gotham FC’s bid to repeat as CONCACAF W Champions Cup winners came to a screeching halt Wednesday night.
Club América defeated Gotham 4-1, breaking a 1-1 tie in the second half with goals in the 57th, 70th and 87th minutes to eliminate the defending champions at Estadio Hidalgo in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico. Scarlett Camberos recorded a hat trick against Gotham, and Geyse, who played for Gotham FC on loan in 2025, had three assists in the match.
“Very, very difficult game for us,” Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said. “I have to give a lot of credit to my players. They gave absolutely everything they had in those conditions. In the first half, we really struggled to adapt. They were better.
Scarlett Camberos, who had a hat trick, celebrates after scoring one of her three goals in Club América’s 4-1 win over Gotham FC in the CONCACAF W Champions Cup semifinal matchup on May 20, 2026. Getty Images
“In the second half, we started really well with that goal to equalize. Then they only had those situations on the counter, and they killed us there. That’s the highlight of the game.”
Esther González scored Gotham’s only goal of the match in the 48th minute, which briefly tied the contest at 1-1. Gotham will play in the tournament’s third-place game Saturday and will face the loser of the Washington Spirit’s match against CF Pachuca.
Entering Wednesday’s semifinal, Gotham had been on a five-game unbeaten streak in NWSL play and conceded just one goal in that stretch.
Esther Gonzalez of Gotham controls the ball during the semifinals match between America and Nueva York Gotham City as part of the Concacaf W Champions Cup 2026 at Hidalgo Stadium on May 20, 2026 in Pachuca, Mexico. Getty Images
Club América took a bit of revenge on the 2025 CONCACAF W Champions Cup champions this time around after Gotham had routed their Liga MX Femenil counterparts in last year’s tournament on their way to winning the crown.
Camberos scored her first of three goals in the 21st minute when she redirected a cross into the box past Gotham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger. Camberos broke the 1-1 tie early in the second half after she got behind the Gotham defense for a lead pass and buried her shot.
Aylín Aviléz extended the lead to two goals when Geyse set her up with her third assist in the 70th minute, and Camberos completed the hat trick with Club América’s fourth goal of the night.
Berger had to be stretchered off the pitch after she came out to challenge Camberos on the final play of the first half, and the two collided hard.
The Gotham goalkeeper was in visible pain, had a cut on her head and had to be attended to by the club’s medical staff before being taken off the field on a stretcher.
Katrin Berger (I) Gotham FC goalkeeper after her injury during the semifinals match between America and Nueva York Gotham City as part of the Concacaf W Champions Cup 2026 at Hidalgo Stadium on May 20, 2026 in Pachuca, Mexico. Getty Images
Shelby Hogan came into the game for Gotham to start the second half.
Amorós did not have any update on her condition, but did say that she was taken to the hospital.
“It was very difficult for us, obviously knowing that Ann had to go to the hospital after that challenge in the first half,” he said.
Hogan said that the club was “obviously all behind her” after the injury.
“We’ll support her in any way she needs. We were really sad to see her go down, and we wanted to get that win for her,” she said.
