Rose Lavelle is the hero against Portland Thorns FC, leading Gotham FC to a 2-1 win

Last season, NJ/NY Gotham FC won the NWSL Championship for the first time.  This year, the Bats hosted their first-ever home playoff game as they welcomed Portland Thorns FC to Red Bull Arena.  It might have been a gloomy day in Harrison, but the fans brought the sunshine to cheer on their team in the quarterfinals.

While Gotham has been playing superbly since the Olympic break and won both of the regular season games against the Thorns, there was no question this would be a challenging fixture.  Portland had players like Sam Coffey, Christine Sinclair, and Sophia Smith in their Starting XI.  As USWNT fans know, Smith is always a threat in the attack these days.

On the bright side, Gotham had Tierna Davidson back, for the center-back missed the last few games due to injury.  In addition, Jéssica Silva was back and on the bench.  There were still some players missing, but the home side had plenty of players to choose from.  Juan Carlos Amorós put out a strong Starting XI and had a talented bench of players who easily can start.

The strong roster is why Gotham FC is moving on in the NWSL Playoffs. The Bats beat Portland 2-1, managing to find a way despite some mistakes and lackluster chances.

Gotham FC beat Portland Thorns FC in the quaterfinals

Gotham FC came out ready to play, dominating the match from the start.  There were some periods where Portland maintained periods of possession, but the Bats were in charge.  Players like Yazmeen Ryan and Rose Lavelle were the most impressive in the attack during the first half, but nobody could find the back of the net.

However, there were some shaky moments defensively, which is abnormal for Gotham.  Ann-Katrin Berger made the mistake of kicking the ball directly into Sinclair, leading Jess Carter to recover the ball before the Canadian legend could find a way to get the ball and score.  In addition, the goalkeeper made the mistake of coming off her line late in the first half, leaving space for Smith to score.  Luckily, the forward was offside.

Berger fortunately redeemed herself with a save off her teammate, Ella Stevens, in stoppage time of the first 45 minutes.  She sent the ball over the bar to keep the score level before halftime.  Meanwhile, there was a questionable no-call in the box on the other side of the pitch in stoppage time right before Berger kept the match level.  Ryan appeared to be fouled in the box, and there was no contact on the ball.  However, the referee did not call it, and there was no VAR review.

Regardless of the controversial no-call, Gotham had to continue and try to improve their quality in the attack during the second half.  They also could not make the same defensive mistakes.

The Bats continued to dominate and had some higher-quality chances.  More players began to contribute to the match.  They increased their attacking sequences, but the Thorns also had their opportunities as well.

It was not until the 67th minute that a goal was scored.  Gotham had a free kick, which Lavelle took for the team.  She sent the ball into the box, and it fell to Davidson after bouncing off Lynn Williams.  The center-back brought the ball down to control it before she took her chance.  She swept it into the back of the net, beating Portland goalkeeper Shelby Hogan.

Davidson’s return to the squad was exactly what the NJ/NY team needed.  Although, not many would have thought she would have scored the first goal for the team.  Alas, the lead did not last too long, for Portland equalized in the 75th minute.  Olivia Moultrie sent a perfect ball into the box, and Reilyn Turner headed the ball past Berger.

After that goal, the game became more even. The teams shared their chances, and some wondered whether the fixture would go into extra time. It was a fight on the pitch and for a neutral, very exciting to watch. 

Yet, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Lavelle had other ideas.  Delanie Sheehan, who came on as a substitute, did well to maneuver around Portland players in the box to find the star midfielder.  Lavelle was in the center, and arguably at the perfect spot.  With one touch, she sent the ball into the goal to earn the win for her team. 

Arguably, it was not the best match for Gotham.  Yes, they maintained more possession and had more chances.  When one compared to how they played over the last couple of months, the high quality was not there for a good portion of the fixture.  They had some luck too, especially after some of the mistakes in the first half.  Still, the ladies are moving on and will face the Washington Spirit in the semifinals.

Notably, the Bats have to play better next weekend.  The Spirit has their number and won the two matches in the regular season.  At the same time, the NJ/NY team won their game in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.  The Gotham FC team that ended the regular season with fantastic wins must show up if they want to make their second Championship match in a row.