There aren’t many ways to earn a club’s first win better than bewildering the league’s defending champions at their place.
With Denver Summit FC’s first win came its first clean sheet and, without question, its most dominant play yet. At the center of it all is Melissa Kössler, who in the early goings of the 2026 NWSL season is emerging as one of the league’s most dangerous strikers.
And she’s doing it in pure Erling Haaland fashion. The German international forward doesn’t need many chances or touches, but has now racked up three goals in her first three games, both for Denver Summit FC and in her new league. She scored again on Wednesday night against Gotham FC en route to a 2-0 win at Sports Illustrated Stadium, becoming just the second player to score in each of an expansion team’s first three games.
“There was a first tonight: she missed one, so she’s human anyway,” Summit FC coach Nick Cushing joked about Kössler. “We knew the profile that I wanted in this team as a No. 9. … We wanted a box No. 9, we wanted somebody that was going to be clinical off chances.
“… We were really pleased to bring her in, and she’s showing how clinical she is. She’s growing every day — I still think she can improve. The bit thatap really important is scoring goals, and she’s showing how important she is to the team.”
Kössler beat goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger through the legs to score in the 58th minute on a long through-ball by rookie midfielder Yuna McCormack. There were a few moments in transition where Summit FC could have scored, but the reward had to wait almost the full hour.
Natasha Flint doubled the lead in the 73rd minute with what is becoming Denver’s other best trait: the press. In possession, Berger took a heavy touch to set up a pass in the 6-yard box, and Flint picked her pocket and finished with ease.
“Itap one of our things that we’re really working to be really good at, the press, and both goals come from that,” Flint said. “I think we just need to keep pushing on, and hopefully we can take that into Saturday, and maybe we’ll get another goal from our press. But yeah, I think itap good.”
Summit FC opened with its best half of all-around soccer in its short history, despite not scoring. Defensively, Summit FC held Gotham FC to an uncharacteristically low 45% possession with its press and connected, swarming cover in the middle and defensive thirds. It revealed an added layer to the defense — which featured more fire extinguishing than anything else — that secured a draw at Orlando last Friday.
Gotham FC, known for its press, was beaten at its own game for much of the game, save for a few spells of possession that threatened Summit FC. But the more positive evolution on Wednesday was the growth in chemistry on offense.
One play, just 12 minutes in, stuck out in particular: a build-up after a throw-in which featured one-touch passing between seven players in quick succession that took the ball from right back to left wing in a matter of seconds. New signing Yazmeen Ryan earned a corner as a result.
10 minutes later, Ryan found Kössler in behind the defense with an impressive ball, but Kössler had her shot saved. Two minutes after that, Kössler one-upped the difficulty of Ryan’s through-ball, threading the needle between two Gotham FC defenders to set Flint up for a shot, which was also saved.
Like Friday’s game at Orlando, Summit FC gave up some possession and opportunities on which Gotham FC nearly capitalized. But after Kössler’s goal, Denver held momentum, and Gotham FC went back to looking like a shell of itself, even after U.S. Women’s National Team star Rose Lavelle subbed into the game in the second half.
“It was really pleasing because I thought we were good in the first half against Orlando, but faded out and had to defend a point,” Cushing said. “The aim (against Gotham FC) was to sustain and have the ball and be brave and keep playing. I thought for 102 minutes, we were good. Of course, we had to absorb some pressure because we’re away at the champions, but a really good performance from everybody.”
Next up for Summit FC is reigning NWSL runner-up Washington Spirit for Denver’s first-ever home game. More than 50,000 tickets have been sold for ‘The Kickoff’ at Empower Field, which is an NWSL attendance record. Spirit, which boasts superstar forward Trinity Rodman, is winless in its first three games, but has drawn its last two.
