Gotham FC marks NWSL return with a superb win against Portland

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, NJ/NY Gotham FC resumed the NWSL season with a game against Portland Thorns FC. This comes after an impressive summer thus far, for the Bats secured medals at the Summer Olympics and will play in the finals of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.

With some players playing many minutes over the last month, Juan Carlos Amorós opted to be careful with some of his star players. Tierna Davidson and Rose Lavelle were on the bench to start the match before coming on in the 54th minute. The other available Olympians, Ann-Katrin Berger, Jenna Nighswonger, and Emily Sonnett, started the game.

Additionally, the head coach went with a highly attack-focused Starting XI. Esther González, Yazmeen Ryan, Katie Stengel, and Ella Stevens all started the match. Of course, the fullbacks Bruninha and Nighswonger, and later Mandy Freeman, were constantly a threat for the home team.

The offensive-minded tactical approach is why Gotham FC came out on top after the final whistle. The NJ/NY side won 2-0, securing a vital three points.

Gotham FC beats the Portland Thorns

It was not shocking that Gotham FC started the game off quickly. They went up 1-0 in the seventh minute of play. The Bats had a throw-in on the left of the pitch in the attacking third. Bruninha threw the ball to Nighswonger, who passed it back to the Brazilian. The right-back picked out Stevens and sent a beautiful pass right to the forward. Stevens then headed the ball into the back of the net, easily putting her team ahead.

Despite outshooting Portland nine to three in the first half, the Bats failed to get another before halftime. They created more dangerous opportunities and continued to do so for the remainder of the fixture.

Of course, it is helpful the depth of the bench meant Amorós substituted starters into the game during the second half. They continued to play strongly, adding seven more shots to finish with 16 on the day. The Thorns became a little more threatening in their attack as well.

Alas, the visitors could not produce a goal. Instead, Gotham FC scored their second in the 70th minute. Lavelle managed to draw players toward her when she passed the ball to Ryan. The winger, who had a couple of good chances beforehand, finally got on the scoresheet. She had enough space to slot the ball into the back of the net.

Portland is a good team though, and did well to dispossess Gotham players in 2 v 1 or 3 v 1 situations. The giveaways were concerning, but the goals made up for that. With that said, the Bats still had some great passes throughout the game, especially via Delanie Sheehan. Arguably, she was a vital part of the attack since she picked out those in the final third. She also marked her 50th appearance for the team.

In addition, Jess Carter, one of Gotham FC's newer signings, has a decent first game in the NWSL. She did almost allow a goal by Portland after a miscommunication with Berger, but thankfully, the ball hit the post instead. Still, she did well partnering up with Sonnett and then Davidson. She and the rest of the backline are why the home team secured the 2-0 win. Berger made a few good saves and stops in the second half too.

Nevertheless, Gotham FC has a difficult road game ahead of them. They will next play the Orlando Pride, who sits in first place in the standings. They have not lost a game, so the Bats will try to be the first team to beat them in the NWSL in 2024.