Gotham FC scored last-minute winner to earn a 2-1 win over Houston Dash

On Sunday, NJ/NY Gotham FC got back to winning ways in the NWSL as they beat the Houston Dash 2-1. This was the second and final meeting of the season between the two sides. Gotham went two for two against Houston this season after beating the Dash 1-0 in Houston back in May.

The struggles continued for the Texas team as this marked their fifth loss in a row and their eighth consecutive game without a win. This means the visitors remain at the bottom of the table with just 14 points, and nine points out of the playoffs at the time of writing with seven games to go. While still mathematically possible, a visit to the playoffs is less and less likely by the week for the Dash.

For Gotham, this was a good way to rebound from their 2-1 loss last week to the Orlando Pride. Yes, they had their big 4-0 win mid-week against LD Alajuelense in the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, but getting back in the win column in NWSL play was important. Even more so given the two teams they are chasing, the Washington Spirit and Kansas City Current, both won on Saturday.

This 2-1 victory starts a stretch of three games that Gotham needs to earn maximum points from. Away to a surging Seattle Reign FC and at home to a steadily improving Utah Royals are two games the Bats must maximize as their schedule afterward becomes much tougher through the end of the season.

Gotham FC left it late in the 2-1 win

Gotham FC got things going early after having the vast majority of the momentum. Yazmeen Ryan scored in the 10th minute to give the home side the early lead. Houston's backline seemingly fell asleep allowing Esther González to sneak in and snatch the ball from the air right in front of their noses. She was able to find Ryan who went in one-on-one with Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell and slotted the ball low to the keeper's right to give Gotham a 1-0 lead.

That lead was short-lived though as Houston's leading scorer Diana Ordóñez equalized just seven minutes later. Houston wing-back Avery Patterson picked up the ball on the right, managed to shake free from the Gotham defenders, and sent in a great cross to the back post that found an unmarked Ordóñez. The forward headed the ball just beyond the outstretched arm of Ann-Katrin Berger.

Afterwards, the game entered a period of stagnation with neither team able to really create anything offensively. Gotham had the better looks and were the ones pushing for a goal to try and win, but could not quite find that second goal.

That all changed in the third minute of added time when González capped off her player-of-the-game performance by slotting home a Lynn Williams cross to give the Bats the 2-1 victory.

This was a crucial win for Gotham FC at this point in the season. Not just to help them keep pace with the teams ahead of them, but also to try and grow the gap behind them. A playoff spot is pretty much a given at this point with them having a 16-point gap to ninth, the first spot outside of the playoffs.

While the next two games are against two non-playoff teams in Seattle and Utah, both of those teams have seen significant improvement in recent weeks with Seattle now looking like a legit threat to make the playoffs. It is important they win their next two matches as the fixture after that is against the Kansas City Current. Right now, they are currently just one point ahead of Gotham in the standings.

While the Shield is probably out of reach and the risk of missing the playoffs next to nonexistent, it is still important for Gotham FC to keep gaining points. This is not just to get a first-round home playoff game, but maybe even in round two if things can fall their way.