Gotham FC snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over Utah Royals on Friday night. It was a much-needed triumph for the Bats, who were struggling to find their offensive form in their past league matches.
A fourth brace for Esther González and a first NWSL goal for Jaelin Howell led the club to victory, although red cards for Howell and Jess Carter slightly soured the taste of success. A nine-player Gotham pushed on, with all five of the club's rookies on the field holding the team's lead untill the end.
Gotham FC: 6 shots, 4 shots on target, 53% possession, 342 passes, 75% pass accuracy, 5 fouls, 4 corners, 3 saves
Utah Royals FC: 6 shots, 3 shots on target, 47% possession, 312 passes, 75% pass accuracy, 13 fouls, 1 corner, 1 save
Goals:
• Gotham FC, Esther González, 9'
• Gotham FC, Jaelin Howell, 45+1'
• Gotham FC, Esther González, 58'
Attendance: 8,351
Streak snapped
After four league matches ending in disappointment, Gotham broke the streak with a statement win. The three-goal victory over Utah is the club's third multi-goal win away, adding to wins over Angel City and Washington Spirit.
González emerged as Gotham's savior once again, kicking off the scoring with a header off a cross from Gotham midfielder Sarah Schupansky. The Spanish international notched a second goal minutes into the second half, a penalty taken at the 58th minute after she was taken down by two Utah defenders.
Esther González notches her fourth brace of the season 😮💨
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-06-14T03:00:45.530Z
González now ties the NWSL record brace record in a singular season with four, and currently leads the league in scoring with nine goals. Schupansky leads the NWSL rookies in assists with three so far.
"The whole play for the first goal was fantastic, including defensive aspects, and a fantastic cross from Sarah for Esther's first one," said Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós. "Again, it’s some of the work we’ve been doing. She’s taken a lot of responsibility, also with the backline and things we could improve."
Based on the level of play from Gotham last night, the work paid off. Previous matches resulted in multiple shots taken, sometimes with Gotham leading an opposing team by nearly double their amount; however, overshooting and miscalculation in precision resulted in very few shots on target. In a refreshing change of pace, Gotham nailed four shots on target, three of which were in.
The duality of Jaelin Howell
Jaelin Howell is certainly having a season at Gotham.
The 25-year-old scored her first regular season league goal after a ball from Geyse bypassed several Utah defenders, allowing Howell to make a run upfield and score. It was a textbook run, with the Royals struggling to match her pace as she easily slotted one past Utah goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn.
"A little wild ending, but proud of how we started the game, proud of how we finished," said Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle. "It was tough circumstances at the
end, but I think we weathered the storm and we’re happy to go home with three points."
This run by Jaelin Howell was a thing of beauty 🤩
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-06-14T02:37:21.728Z
The goal was bittersweet, however, after Howell picked up a late red card six minutes into injury time. A referee handed Howell a second yellow card when her tackle on Utah's Claudia Zornoza sent the midfielder to the ground. Her first came less than ten minutes earlier for dissent.
It was a tough send-off, leaving Gotham with nine players on the field after Jess Carter was sent off earlier with a straight red after tugging Royals forward Mina Tanaka down by her jersey and denying her a scoring chance.
Gotham's defense has proven to be a problem for the opposition this season, with a solid-looking backline bringing Midge Purce back to its arsenal. Last night's aggressive approach might have been a tad too far, although the lateness of Howell's send0-off saved Gotham from having to defend itself against a larger cohort.
More from the rookies
Amorós's gamble on his rookies continues to pay off as all five took to the field together last night. The new, young lineup is showing out this season, easily slipping into the roles left behind by injured veterans.
"It's full credit to (coach) and the staff for putting the trust in us," said Schupansky. "It takes a lot of trust and a lot of belief to put that many rookies out there, especially together. And it's also credit to the people he's putting us out there with."
Khyah Harper, Sofia Cook, and Ryan Campbell joined rookie starters Lilly Reale and Schupansky for the last twenty minutes of the game. They proved to be essential after Carter and Howell were sent off, shoring up the back line to prevent any last-minute goals in injury time.
"The five of them have been outstanding," said Amorós. I think they deserve to be on that football pitch, and these kinds of experiences are the ones that are going to help them grow."
Gotham face Bay FC at home on Saturday, June 21st at 7:30 pm ET, before pausing for an international break.
