Gotham FC's first game back from the international break saw the club draw 1-1 with the Chicago Stars last night at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL. Gotham rookie Khyah Harper scored her first professional goal to give the Bats a 1-0 lead before Chicago Star forward Ally Schlegel evened the score with a second-half header.
Gotham had several chances to slot a game-winning goal, with the closest coming from Rose Lavelle, whose shot in first-half stoppage time was ruled offside. Chicago and United States women's national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher thwarted a second headed attempt by Gotham defender Emily Sonnett in the second half to keep the Stars in the game until the end.
Gotham's Esther González and Jess Carter made their returns to the NWSL following a tightly contested UEFA Women's Euros final match in Switzerland last weekend. Carter stepped onto the pitch as a European champion while González, who did not play against the Stars, returned to the US as the 2025 Euros Golden Boot winner.
"I think them coming back means so much to all of us," said Gotham forward Sarah Schupansky. "They certainly didn't have to do that. The club was willing to give them a little bit of off time, but the fact that they wanted to come back and be with us and play with us and compete with us, that means a ton to all of us on the roster."
Gotham FC: 1.24 xG, 6 shots, 2 shots on target, 45% possession, 324 passes, 72% pass accuracy, 9 fouls, 2 corners, 4 saves
Chicago Stars: 1.57 xG, 13 shots, 5 shots on target, 55% possession, 384 passes, 76% pass accuracy, 14 fouls, 6 corners, 1 save
Goals:
• Gotham FC, Khyah Harper, 39'
• Chicago Stars, Ally Schlegel, 68'
Attendance: 2,874
Michael Battista
Khyah Harper on fire
Despite the result, the night belonged to Harper.
The 22-year-old forward made her first professional start last night, fronting Gotham's offense alongside Midge Purce and fellow rookie Schupansky. Harper scored a header off a tight cross from Schupansky during the 39th minute, securing Gotham's second rookie-to-rookie goal this year.
"I'm really excited and proud of how we played today," said Harper. "Obviously, I couldn't do it without my teammates and Sarah right here placing a perfectly good ball."
Harper's influence throughout the game went far beyond her goal. Taking up the mantle as a center forward in the absence of Gonzaléz, the youngster lofted several key passes that provided Gotham with multiple opportunities to score. Twice, she sent a pass to Lavelle during Lavelle's attempts to score, and while neither attempt ended as a goal, Harper's assists were key in make-or-break moments.
🚨ROOKIE TO ROOKIE GOAL🚨 Sarah Schupansky finds Khyah Harper as the two rookies connect to find the back of the net!
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-08-02T00:57:36.344Z
Her performance is an example of Gotham's exemplary rookie class. Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós continues to substitute injuries with new players, some of whom, like Schupansky and defender Lilly Reale, have become regular starters and are key in holding Gotham's front and back lines together.
Schupansky set a Gotham record for rookies last night with her fifth assist of the season, one assist away from Katy Freels' club record of six set in 2013. This is the 21-year-old's third assist in as many games, a new club record.
"I think our rookie class came in ready right away," said Harper. "We adapted pretty quickly and just contributed any way that we could. I think it showed on the field today with three rookies starting and Sarah and Lilly consistently starting shows how much Gotham has done for us and our teammates along with it."
Returns and rebuilding
As a whole, Gotham's first game back was a bit shaky.
Bruninha replaced Purce early in the first half after the defender-turned-forward was forced off the pitch with an injury. Although Harper's goal initially put Gotham ahead, a lack of finishing pushed the club away from the win. Naeher played an important role in the Stars' comeback, but Gotham's overall struggle to put away a second ball in the net continues to impact their chances of turning around tied games.
"It was a game that had a little bit of everything," said Amorós. "I think it was definitely bittersweet because it wasn't our best game, but we were ahead. We could have definitely made the difference even bigger."
HEADS UP, LEVELED UP ⚖️ Ally Schlegel scores a beauty in the air to tie the match up!
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-08-02T01:53:50.585Z
The club's first game back from break wasn't all disappointment. Gotham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, fresh off a breakthrough performance at the Euros, made four key saves while preventing the Stars from taking the game. The German kept her cool after conceding a goal to Schlegel, blocking what would have been the game-winning goal by Chicago midfielder Shea Groom in the final minute of injury time.
"There are definitely positives that help us grow," said Amorós. "But to be able to win more consistently, we need to be focused and concentrated throughout the whole game.”
In the first of a three-game home stretch, Gotham will return to Sports Illustrated Stadium on Saturday, August 9, for NWSL Rivalry Weekend against the Washington Spirit.
