When Jaedyn Shaw began the calendar year, she surely expected it to end in California, though it isn’t likely she figured she’d be wearing a Gotham FC jersey or that it was because she had helped the club reach its second NWSL Championship game in three years.

But that was the case after Shaw scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time to lift Gotham to a 1-0 win over the Orlando Pride in the NWSL semifinals Sunday. Gotham will face the Washington Spirit next weekend in San Jose, Calif., for the NWSL title.

Shaw scored in the seventh minute of stoppage time after being awarded a free kick 5 yards outside the penalty area and sending the ball just past the leg of teammate Midge Purce and Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse.

“I knew exactly where I wanted to put it. I knew exactly what I needed to do to put it there,” Shaw said. “Everyone in the line really messed with their line and threw Moorhouse off a little bit. That really helps me, but I mean, it comes down to everybody doing their little 1 percent to help get the goal.”

The winning tally was the second goal Shaw has scored during Gotham’s playoff run this year — she tallied the opening strike last weekend against Kansas City — and came after the club acquired her in early September.

Shaw began 2025 as a member of the San Diego Wave before being traded to North Carolina and then again to Gotham.

“It’s always fun to kind of look back on the year, and I think the amount of adversity that I faced early on in the year I think has shaped me to what you’re seeing in the present day,” Shaw said. “Just grateful for all the highs and lows. I think being at the Courage has taught me so much, being at the Wave has taught me so much and even being now at Gotham, I feel like I’m learning so much every single day and becoming a better player. I feel like they get the best out of me.”

Shaw’s stoppage-time goal helped Gotham avoid what appeared to be a match destined to go beyond the 90 minutes that Orlando and Gotham already had played.

Gotham held a slight edge in possession during the semifinal, but Orlando forced goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger to be at her best, which included having to make a game-saving stop moments after Shaw scored.

A ball was dangerously sent into the box off a free kick that was headed by Oihane Hernández and looked destined to find the back of the net.

Berger managed to dive over and punch the ball away, and moments later, the final whistle was blown.

“I always say the hard work pays off, and the work that we’ve done all year is paying off in these last couple of games,” Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós said. “I think this is a special moment for us and want to enjoy today, but to enjoy the whole week. Enjoy the whole week of preparation going into the championship.”

Now, Gotham will turn its focus to Washington, which has gotten the better of them this year with a 1-0-2 record.

And Amorós knows there won’t be any surprises for either club, having seen each other so much.

“They got a clear style. It’s two attractive teams that are gonna really go out there to win,” he said. “I think they’ve also been really good in how they’ve gone through throughout the year. Hopefully, we can get that trophy going to New York now.”