NWSL NJ/NY Gotham FC

Gotham FC Weathers the Storm in 1-0 Victory Over NC Courage

Published on April 23, 2023 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
NJ/NY Gotham FC News Release


Gotham FC celebrates win
Gotham FC celebrates win
(NJ/NY Gotham FC)

Harrison, N.J. - After a two-hour weather delay followed a scoreless first half, Gotham FC secured a 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, when Lynn Williams scored in the 80th minute. The victory improved Gotham FC's regular season record to 3-0-1 and was the club's third straight win and clean sheet over eight days across all competitions. Williams now has four goals on the season and 60 career NWSL goals, which ties with Portland Thorns forward Christine Sinclair for second-most in NWSL history.

"I was really happy to give all of our fans the win at home," said Gotham FC Head Coach Juan Carlos Amorós. "I feel like all of the hard work we are doing is paying off."

An extended lightning delay postponed the second half by more than two hours, leaving supporters and players sheltering in place at Red Bull Arena. When Gotham FC players returned to the field, they applauded as a thank you to the many supporters who during the delay.

Despite a persistent rain for most of the second half, Gotham FC came out strong with a series of scoring chances. In the 80th minute, Williams scored off a pass from Yazmeen Ryan, putting the ball into the bottom left corner of the net.

"I'm so happy to get on the board in some way," said Ryan. "I got it over to Lynn, and then Lynn did her thing."

It was Gotham FC's third clean sheet in a row, including the UKG Challenge Cup match played last Wednesday night. Goalkeeper Abby Smith had a huge double save in the 58th minute, keeping the ball out of the net despite slippery conditions.

"You just have to really keep your eye on the ball," Smith said of playing in the rain. "I just had to make it work. This was a team effort. We stayed focused from minute one to minute 97. We came out after the delay and knew it was really important and keep our focus - especially as part of a three-game week. We did everything we needed to do in the second half. This is where our standards are now."

With her game-winning assist and complete play, Ryan was named Player of the Match.

"The fans really helped our energy in the second half," said Ryan. "For all of them to stick around so late into the night during the delay, it shows the dedication our fans have for us. It was really special."

Gotham FC Starting Lineup:

Abby Smith, Kelley O'Hara, Ellie Jean, Kristen Edmonds, Ali Krieger, Allie Long, McCall Zerboni, Kristie Mewis, Yazmeen Ryan, Ifeoma Onumonu, Lynn Williams

Substitutions:

Taylor Smith (Ifeoma Onumonu - 61'), Sinead Farrelly (McCall Zerboni - 79'), Nealy Martin (Kristie Mewis - 86'), Delanie Sheehan (Yazmeen Ryan - 86')

Notes

Torch Lighting

Tammy Murphy - Gotham FC Owner and Chair, and First Lady of New Jersey - participated in the pre-match tradition of the Gotham FC Torch Lighting ceremony. The Torch Lighting ceremony takes place at every Gotham FC home game, and will feature Gotham FC supporters, including season ticket holders and members of Cloud 9 (Gotham's official supporters' group), alongside local celebrities, professional athletes, and notable club figures.

10,000 Minutes

With this game, Williams also passed the mark for 10,000 minutes of NWSL play. She was drafted into the NWSL in 2015, beginning her career with the Western New York Flash, which was moved and rebranded to the North Carolina Courage in 2017.

Season Debuts

This game marked the season debut of Delanie Sheehan, who entered in the 86th minute to replace forward Yazmeen Ryan. Tonight also marked the regular season debut for midfielder Nealy Martin, who celebrated her 25th birthday today.

Next Up:

Gotham FC returns to action on Sunday, April 30 against the Kansas City Current in Children's Mercy Park at 6 p.m. ET.

Check out the NJ/NY Gotham FC Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Images from this story

Gotham FC celebrates win
Gotham FC celebrates win
   



National Women's Soccer League Stories from April 23, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central