3 things we learned from Gotham FC's 4-1 win over Utah Royals FC

On Friday, NJ/NY Gotham FC played their final regular season game before the NWSL playoffs begin.  The Bats were away to Utah Royals FC, who missed out on the postseason in their first year back in the league.  However, there was no question the home side would want to win in their final game in front of their fans.  At the same time, the visitors wanted to finish as high as possible in the standings.

Over the last few games, the Washington Spirit, Gotham FC, and the Kansas City Current have been close in the standings.  They were separated by a mere point, with the Spirit in second and the Bats in third based on goal differential.  A win would have guaranteed second or third for the East Coast team.  A draw or loss could have seen them fall into fourth.

Gotham knew the importance of the game, so they played one of their best matches of the season.  The Bats beat Utah Royals FC 4-1, scoring two goals in each half.  Additionally, the team had 23 shots with nine on target.

There is a lot to discuss after the Decision Weekend match.  Here are three things we learned from Gotham FC’s win against the Utah Royals FC.

3 things we learned from Gotham FC’s win against Utah

1. Mandy Freeman’s goal was beautiful

Gotham FC dominated the offensive effort in the match, scoring four goals.  The best goal of the night has to be from Mandy Freeman.  The versatile defender scored in the CONCACAF W Champions Cup this year but had yet to do so in the NWSL.  In fact, she had never scored in the NWSL in her eight years in the league.

That all changed against Utah.  In the 17th minute, Freeman scored one of the best goals of the season.  Ella Stevens attempted to pass the ball to Rose Lavelle but missed.  Instead, the ball landed right at Freeman, and the player had plenty of space.  She resituated herself to get into a comfortable scoring position by taking a few steps to her right.  Then, she curled the ball into the top right corner of the goal.

There was nothing the former Gotham goalkeeper, Mandy Haught, could do to stop her former teammate.  The curl and accuracy of the shot were perfect.  The beautiful goal is something Freeman will remember for a long time.  It was an awesome way to score her first in the NWSL too.

2. Rose Lavelle still started for Gotham FC

There were questions about whether Lavelle would start or play in Friday’s fixture.  The USWNT player was the only one from Gotham who played for the national team on Wednesday.  She played because the team celebrated her 100th cap.

Hence, it was surprising to see her named in the Starting XI.  Notably, she played the first half and about 90 seconds in the USWNT fixture.  Still, she only had one day between the games, so it might have been possible she proved she was ready to play and wanted to start.

Lavelle had another good match and was a major part of the offensive effort until she came off in the 64th minute.  She had three shots on the night and four successful set play crosses.  Thankfully, the next game is nine days from this one, so the Gotham star can rest a little before the postseason begins.

3. Gotham FC got the job done against Utah

The goal on Friday was for Gotham FC to control their own destiny as much as they could.  A win was the only way to do that, and the Bats got the job done.  The three points mean the team can finish in second or third place.  If they would have lost or ended the fixture in a draw, then the possibility of fourth place was there.

As mentioned, the goal was to control their destiny as much as possible, but their fate relied on another team.  Gotham must wait until the end of Saturday to find out exactly where they will finish in the standings.  They are relying on the results of the Washington Spirit game, for a loss or draw by the team from D.C. will secure second place.

By beating Utah 4-1 and dominating the match, Gotham FC is reminding the NWSL that they are here and will be fighting for the second Championship.  The eight-game unbeaten streak in the league also reminds everyone about their talent.  This was a fantastic win, and the Bats are officially one of the teams that will be difficult to beat in the postseason.