Gotham FC came back from an early deficit to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Bay FC on Saturday night at Sports Illustrated Arena. The win marked the first time since 2021 Gotham claimed a victory after trailing one-nil.
With just one home win under their belt at the midseason mark, Gotham entered into the match eager to earn three points at home before heading into the international break.
It didn't start well for the Goths. Bay FC quickly capitalized on a gap in Gotham's backline at the 11th minute to go ahead, but patience and gritty determination kept the club in the game to score back-to-back goals for a 2-1 win.
Gotham FC: 7 shots, 3 shots on target, 52% possession, 372 passes, 74% pass accuracy, 13 fouls, 3 corners, 4 saves
Bay FC: 11 shots, 5 shots on target, 48% possession, 331 passes, 77% pass accuracy, 13 fouls, 3 corners, 1 save
Goals:
• Bay FC, Penelope Hocking, 11'
• Gotham FC, Esther González, 30'
• Gotham FC, Geyse, 55'
Attendance: 9,009
Gotham's second home win
Bay FC drew first blood, with forward Penelope Hocking taking advantage of a closeup scramble between her and Gotham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger. Bay FC's Hannah Bebar sent a ball flying over Gotham's backline, allowing Hocking to take possession. The initial bounce in the box put the ball over Berger before Hocking came in close enough for a tap-in.
Less than 20 minutes later, Gotham countered with a right-footed strike from forward Esther González for her 10th goal of the season. González currently leads the NWSL Golden Boot Race at the midway point of the 2025 season. She is the fastest player to score 10 goals in a single season in club history, beating Sam Kerr's record in 2017 when the team was called Sky Blue FC. And it's the first time that a Gotham player reached double-digits since Midge Purce did it in 2021.
🔟 goals for Esther González and she’s top of the Golden Boot race 🔥
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-06-22T00:13:21.880Z
"This year, having a full preseason and being fully fit, understanding her teammates—and them understanding her, because her understanding of the game is very different from anyone else’s—has made a big difference," said Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós of González. "The way she takes care of herself, and how she always does it with a smile—helping the young ones, helping the older ones, integrating makes her a true connector."
Just 10 minutes into the second half, Gotham defender Nealy Martin sent a ball nearly halfway across the pitch over Bay FC's defense. Gotham's Geyse outran two of Bay FC's defenders to send a right-footed strike into the back of the net. Two goals were enough to earn Gotham the win, riding the wave of their second home victory into the international break.
Rookies continue to improve
In the absence of key veteran players like Tierna Davidson, Amorós is playing a gamble with his rookies – and it's paying off.
Gotham's approach to injuries looks a different than what you find at other NWSL teams. Amorós started to play his young newcomers at the beginning of the season rather than waiting for opportunities as the year worse on, taking the calculated risk to count on youth over experience.
"We have a lot of young players on the roster who are getting valuable experiences," he said. "Experiences like today are invaluable—you can't get them unless you live them."
Rookies Sarah Schupansky and Lilly Reale have quickly become vital to Gotham's attack, consistently contributing with major assists and big goals. In tonight's game, Schupansky kicked a ball away from Bay FC defender Alyssa Malonson, deflecting to González so she could score Gotham's first goal of the night. She now leads all NWSL rookies with four assists.
It's a key focal point of Gotham's strategy: giving rookies the opportunity to make their mark early allows them the chance to adjust to the NWSL and grow into their roles gradually, preparing them for high stakes moments later in the season.
"They're eager to learn and they're very humble, but they're very talented," said Martin. "We've never really been a team with many rookies over the past few seasons, but it's kind of a breath of fresh air in the locker room, off the field, and on the field. They're all so talented, and I'm just so proud of them.”
Hudson River Blue Staff
Ann-Katrin Berger = POTM
Despite conceding an early goal, Gotham goalkeeper Berger was undoubtedly Player of the Match. Bay FC played aggressively, finishing the game with 10 shots, with five on target and one leading to a goal. Bay FC took every opportunity they could to overcome Gotham's backline but had trouble getting past Berger.
Berger stepped up to the plate twice to prevent Gotham from trailing 2-0 before González scored in critical attempts that would have left Gotham scrambling more than they already were. Another key save at the 53rd minute stopped Bay FC from taking the lead 2-1.
Courtesy Gotham FC
Berger's defiance under stress kept Gotham's hopes alive, taking pressure off the club's frontline to chase a wide deficit and giving them the necessary momentum to take bold chances.
"It's nice to get a win at home in front of our home fans anytime," Martin said. "I think it wasn't a very pretty game or necessarily the way we want to play, but we can take some big takeaways away. To come back from 1-0 down early in the game is huge for us, and it just shows the resilience of the team."
Gotham returns from the international break on August 1, when they will face the Chicago Stars on the road.
