The scoring floodgates remained open in Gotham FC's 5-1 win over Bay FC

On Saturday, NJ/NY Gotham FC returned to Red Bull Arena to host Bay FC for an NWSL battle.  This was the expansion team’s first trip to the Bats’ home.  While they struggled earlier in the season, they have done well enough to be in the final playoff spot before the match.

However, Gotham FC wanted to get the sweep over Bay FC, for they beat them earlier in the season 2-0.  They also desired to continue their solid form as of late, for the NJ/NY team was unbeaten in their last seven fixtures entering Saturday.  This included Wednesday’s CONCACAF W Champions Cup fixture, where they won 13-0.

Yes, on paper this should have been marked as an easy win.  But Gotham knew nothing was guaranteed and had to shut down Asisat Oshoala and Racheal Kundananji.  The two were probably the most threatening attackers in the Bay lineup.  At the same time, the Bats hoped the hat tricks from Yazmeen Ryan and Lynn Williams on Wednesday would spark the forwards to have a superb match this weekend.

In the end, it was an all-around team game.  Gotham FC played well and beat Bay FC 5-1.  The scoreline does not represent the fixture entirely, for the Bats did not dominate their play.

Gotham FC scored five to beat Bay FC

This was a fun match to watch since Gotham FC and Bay FC battled it out for most of the game.  It felt like the game could go either way, especially in the first half.

Gotham managed to get on the scoresheet first in the ninth minute.  After VAR, the home team was awarded a penalty kick due to a handball in the box.  Jenna Nighswonger surprisingly stepped up to take the kick, and she delivered.  The left-back sent the ball to the post and it bounced into the back of the net like a pinball machine.  This was her first NWSL goal of the season.

It was less than ten minutes later when Bay FC leveled thanks to Oshoala.  Kundananji sent a perfect pass to her after pickpocketing the ball and there was nobody impeding her ability to take a shot.  The California team’s leading scorer slightly curled the ball around Ann-Katrin Berger to level the score.

It was not until the 70th when the game turned on its head.  Ryan picked out the substitute Esther González to her right, gently passing the ball.  The Spaniard then picked out Rose Lavelle in the box, who was in front of the goal.  The USWNT player headed the ball in to score her NWSL-high sixth goal of the season, retaking the lead for the Bats.

Afterward, the floodgates opened for Gotham FC.  Lavelle, who had struggled during the first half, perfectly put the ball into the box via a corner kick two minutes after her goal.  The ball fell to Emily Sonnett, and headed the ball to González.  The forward headed the ball into the back of the net, but she was not done.  Just a couple of minutes later, she scored again.  This time, the ball fell perfectly to where she was in front of the goal, and she tapped it in with ease.

Gotham FC managed to get one more in the 84th minute.  Lavelle had another shot, but it was blocked.  The ball perfectly fell to the Cece Kizer, and Bay’s defense was not marking her at all.  This led to another easy goal.

The five goals scored were the most Gotham scored in the NWSL in 2024.  It appears the performance in the Champions Cup did spark the goal-scoring boots after all, but really González was the difference maker.  Ryan and Williams did not score, but they did play extremely well.  Of course, Ryan would have had the assist on the second goal if this was hockey.

Notably, Nealy Martin often stepped into the backline in the defense.  The extra player was meant to stop the Bay FC attack, and for the most part, it did work.  But the tying goal in the first half came on a counterattack, and the Bats could not get back in time to properly defend. Otherwise, the defense was superb, helping Berger keep the California team out of the goal for the rest of the game.

An extra defender surely helped, but Sonnett was vital to the backline.  She was everywhere, putting her body on the line in the defense.  She marked individual Bay players and limited their opportunities to get shots off.  In addition, she got the assist with the first González goal. 

The offense did its job, but the defense was mostly on point.  Without the backline’s performance, Bay FC probably would have had a few more goals.  They also kept the team in the match before they scored those four goals in the second half.  They deserve all of their flowers after the fantastic performance.