Gotham FC vs Bay FC preview: Wrapping things up out west

After stops in San Diego and Vancouver, NJ/NY Gotham FC will wrap up their West Coast road trip in the Bay Area to take on Bay FC. The Bats have won all three previous meetings by a combined score of 9-2. This includes a 2-1 come-from-behind victory at home earlier this season. At the time of writing, the team currently sits in fifth place in the table on 30 points. Portland Thorns FC and San Diego Wave FC are just ahead with 31, and Seattle Reign FC also has 30 but sits in sixth. The NJ/NY has the tiebreaker over those three teams by virtue of having the best goal differential.

This is a crucial match for Gotham. They are currently in a tight playoff race where five points currently separate third through 11th place. Bay is probably the last team they will face this regular season without any realistic chance of making the playoffs, as they sit 10 points out of the last playoff spot with six games to go. Getting three points against an opponent in the bottom part of the table will be critical for the Bats, as their next two opponents are Portland and Seattle.

In addition, things have gone from bad to worse this season for Bay FC. After a late-season surge saw them make the playoffs last season, many thought the team could build on that finish and maybe even finish in a higher spot this year. Since then, two of their three major signings before their inaugural season, Deyna Castellanos and Asisat Oshoala, have left the club, the team is on a nine-game winless run, and head coach Albertin Montoya will be departing at the end of the season. As such, Gotham can take advantage of this.

Plus, a win on Sunday will not only see the NJ/NY side continue their winning streak, but also will see them gain on the Washington Spirit in second. Therefore, here is a preview of Sunday's matchup between Gotham FC and Bay FC.

Gotham FC vs Bay FC preview

Date

The game will be played on Sunday, September 21.

Time

The match is scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM ET, 5:30 PM local.

How to watch

The fixture will be broadcast on ESPN 2 and streamed on ESPN+.

Location

The game will be played at PayPal Park in San Jose, California.

Weather

Temperatures will be 80 degrees at kickoff before dropping down to around 72 by the end of the match. Winds will be around seven to 12 mph with gusts reaching 20 mph at times. Humidity will be around 50-60% throughout the 90 minutes, with the chances of rain being at 0%.

Injury report

Tierna Davidson (SEI – knee), Ella Stevens (knee), and Taryn Torres (SEI – knee) are all out for the fixture.

Players to watch

Fans should watch Gotham's Jaelin Howell, who has really become a key factor in their recent winning streak. While she had been having a strong season beforehand, ever since head coach Juan Carlos Amorós moved her back to her more familiar defensive midfield role, her play has jumped up another level. She has had three straight games with a goal contribution. While another goal contribution might not be on the cards Sunday, another week of strong play definitely is.

Then, Bay FC's Racheal Kundanaji is someone to watch and has consistently been their most dangerous attacking threat over the course of a season and three-quarters in the NWSL. While she only has three goals this season, it is not entirely all on her, as the team has not been the most cohesive or consistent from an attacking perspective. If Bay scores on Sunday, then expect Kundananji to be right in the middle of it.

Prediction

Gotham FC will continue their strong form and win out on their West Coast road trip, beating Bay FC 3-0. Goals will come from Jaedyn Shaw, Gabi Portilho, and Esther González, which would extend the Spaniard's goal tally for the year to 14. Regardless of the final score, this should be a pretty straightforward win for the Bats given the gap in quality between the two sides.