​Sam Kerr is officially back in the NWSL.Six years and 261 days after the Australian striker last appeared in an NWSL game, Kerr played the final half an hour for Gotham FC in a 1-0 win over Washington Spirit on Wednesday, July 15 in front of a sold-out crowd at Citi Field in New York City.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt was a full-circle moment for Kerr, the two-time NWSL MVP who played three seasons in New York/ New Jersey with the former Sky Blue FC from 2015-17 and spent the last six seasons playing for Chelsea before signing with Gotham last month. And it was momentous for the NWSL, which while experiencing tremendous growth has also lost top players to European clubs offering higher salaries.While Rose Lavelle netted the winning goal for Gotham in the 37th minute with a stunning nutmeg and chip combo, Kerr’s return stole the show.Kerr came on as a substitute in the 64th minute to massive cheers from the 42,175 fans in attendance — the second-largest crowd in NWSL history — including her wife, former Gotham and USWNT midfielder Kristie Mewis. The star-studded crowd also featured former USWNT players Abby Wambach and Sam Mewis; WNBA legend Sue Bird and NBA star Donovan Mitchell, both Gotham investors; and Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes, a Spirit minority owner.Within seconds of coming on, Kerr nearly scored. She chased down a long goal kick and unleashed a shot from inside the penalty area, only to have it blocked by the goalkeeper. The crowd went wild every time Kerr touched the ball and she continued to threaten even though it was clear she and her new teammates need some time to learn each other’s tendencies.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Obviously exciting and fun in front of a big crowd, but it was a bit weird to be back, I can’t lie,” Kerr told ESPN in an on-air interview after the game.Wednesday’s game, dubbed the Queen’s Classic, also set a record for the highest attendance at any women’s sporting event in New York City. The previous record was 28,143 fans at the 2023 U.S. Open Final won by Coco Gauff at Arthur Ashe Stadium.Gotham FC announced this month that starting in 2028, it will play games in Queens at the brand-new Etihad Park, leaving Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey where it has played since 2020.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sam Kerr is back in the NWSL. Aussie star returns in Gotham’s sold-out win