Gotham & Louisville for Women’s Cup Title
As the USWNT has just stumbled in their Gold Cup play, a pair from the domestic league, where most play, two teams meet in a final, having beaten the foreign teams. Gotham players are dancing in the player tunnel. First time since covid we get a team photo of a NWSL team, and it is NOT Gotham, we also get one of the referees via screen shots. A link was sent out, the link offered $3 for this game, that was not there at time to pay so $10. I would have expected if the game is with two from an English speaking nation there would at least be subtitles if not English speaking commentators for the link from a US based team.
Lou get endline and cannot catch up with it, straight off the kickoff. Gotham try a penetrating pass, it is headed out, they gain control, then win a throw and midfield. Racing control the ball in the neutral zone. Bats put a stop to that and lose it on the touchline. Now NY presses and get the ball, Lou, does the same. Lou steps up for the ball and take it in the area at the top of the 6, a great save out for a corner of the shot by Turner. First corner is too far, lands at the edge of the area and bounds out, NY throw. NY with any passes too near the area for my taste and they lose it in their half, another shot but way wide by Fisher. The goal kick from the wide shot goes straight out for a throw at the bottom of the center circle. Again a lot of on the ball by NY and they lose it for a throw, never getting out of their defensive third. A ball lost again at the bottom of the circle leads to a goal that gets called back, it was offside, this play though at just 7:40 needs to stop, too many bad results with it. In the area into the 6, lost and a goal at 8:07. The ‘keeper under light pressure sought to play it out to a defender still in the penalty area, get rid of the ball, relieve the pressure, see there was an opponent next to her... Yes, a number of players are on international duty, that does not excuse not getting the ball away from your own goal. From 20 yards back to the GK who lays it direct up the middle and the player is pressured as the ball arrives? Racing go a bit long, it is headed out deep in the NY end. Slide tackle well done and a deeper throw for Lou by Millet. Into the area played out, back in, out again and Lou has it in the center circle. Esther with a long distance shot right at the GK, but the first look for the Bats on goal. A throw in goes back a good 30 yards for Gotham, into their half. In the area centered to nobody, now a NY corner. DFK, Bats into the area to Ryan, but cleared out. Foul by Gotham near half field. Racing again looks endline and cannot catch up with it, another goal kick. From just below the circle to less than 18 from goal only to lose it as the ball is played out. Back in by Racing and out for another goal kick, played wide then back to the GK and wide again, the long pass is lost just over the half. Lou goes back to the GK, foul in the center circle on her long outlet pass and Gotham has the ball. Long ball from the bottom of the circle is to the opposing GK. Racing gets enndline into the 6, partially cleared and here they come again, the ball in is blocked, lost to Gotham and now bouncing around, throw in Gotham by O’Hara over the half played on and they hold it, laid back and then square, into the area now the wing and back. They are holding it but not doing much as they go back 2x more just before the half, this came from the area. A number of passes but back to the center circle then lost at 30 yards. Still many passes in the back the long kick is played forward then lost yet recovered. Played into the area, nobody home. Estelle in the area doing her thing gets the corner. She held off defenders while still advancing at the endline she played it in for a corner. Ryan to O’Hara and back again, another corner. Into the 6 the GK gets it after a fashion on the ground of the foot of Gotham. The best chance over the first almost half hour has been a scrum off a corner just moments ago, this is not how to win today. Pressure leads to the GK getting the ball again, no outlet gets it back to her. A close call has Lou called for offside. Racing launches on just wide from beyond the area. Some great ball movement with a spin move has Gotham in the area but losing control of the ball, recovering it quickly, they look to attack and win a throw. Long pass is deflected by a defender and Gotham recovers as the GK comes way out and they are in attack mode again, long ball into the area headed away, recovered, in on goal and saved. Gotham in on goal off a steal in the center circle, Esther cuts it back and it’s lost, stolen back by O’Hara who goes far post on another try its out off the GK, who did all she could to tip it over the bar. Was Ryan looking to steal a goal? Another goal kick. Into the 6 and another corner, Gotham has turned on the offense will they get one in the last 15? DFK Gotham from 25? I go on goal here. Ryan with a worm burner beats the wall, not the backstop. Tripping called and a DFK for Gotham again, given the distance and angle its a pass, its in headed Gotham recovers and send it way wide. Racing is liking going on the right side they must see a weakness, lack of speed, good matchup, something has their interest very high. Gotham holds outside the area go into it, head it back then forward, then to an onrushing player who gets half a shot off, they the commit a foul and its coming out. The last several minutes have been all Bats, but they have yet to get that one good look or shot off. Will coach keep pressing, I bet or try to go in as is? Millett falls out of play onto the track but is ok she slid more than the width of a lane. Gotham holds well in tight space by the midfield and now have it advancing. They have 4 v 6 not good to score, lose it then foul. Another foul by the champs. Another foul, trying to kill off the clock? A strong pass by O’Hara goes off her mark for a throw. A dummy does not work Gotham loses it, they recover fast and look into the area but too far and the GK grabs it. Lost at 30 yards then a foul by Gotham in the center circle in extra time. There is not clock on the broadcast showing the amount of extra tie as a 2 players go to ground and there is the whistle.
Gotham has to get forward more effectively, Lou has absorbed a good deal of pressure and that will not last.
Esther, 15 seconds in knots it up, a long blast and it is 1-1. From beyond the arc off the underneath of the post and in, this is why they got her later in last season and she does not disappoint. Hard foul from behind and here come Gotham again a cross from Esther is just out of play, here goes the pressure off the goal kick and it gets them a throw in very deep. Into the area off a Bat, goal kick. Played to the GK fro ma distance and no pressure for Lou, its at half field for Gotham on the wind lost, cleared and Gotham recovers into the area and laid back on a cross in and to Stengel who gets her shot blocked over the goal, corner partially cleared, O’Hara picks out her teammates head but it is high a good 30 yard ball. Off the restart of an injury, Gotham loses it in the area of Lou and push the defender to the floor. Gotham holds well, the pass in, to not a soul. Gotham again on the ball deep in their offensive end lose it off a blocked pass but again get it, winning a throw. From a distance Gotham with a shot, easily gathered in by the GK. Racing is not pressing the GK as they did, that lead to a goal, get back to this. At 57’ the first sub as Racing makes a change, Goins in for Turner. Gotham advancing the ball out of the back with a nutmeg, no foul called as that player is tripped up and a lead ball goes out for a throw. Esther in on goal cannot get off a shot and it is blocked out of play, corner, the other player was just stronger on the ball, but the ever dangerous Esther showing what she can do. The corner headed over the goal. Torres in for Ryan, the graphic shows them with Racing, they are not. Estelle is playing snooker all others soccer as she goes off the frame of the goal again, 2-1 at 65’. First booking at 65’ as well on a nasty tackle from behind by Gotham the player is still down from Racing. Will Esther come out soon, she has done her job, get her a spell and look at another player? Racing have a player up Baggett is out for Viggiano. A throw in then an over head kick just sends it forward for Gotham and out of play, they get it again play it over the top for Esther off her for a throw. Fischer called for the first foul throw I have seen called in forever at the pro level and most are foul. NY controls from one touchline to the other only to lose it for a throw. Gotham got up by 2 at 75’ on an own goal , never a good thing when your defender is facing the goal, O’Hara with a ball in then played in by the defender. Gotham pulls O’Hara for Hiatt at 76’. Too long over the top for Racing, goal kick. A battle on the wing gets Racing a corner, taken by Pickett. Headed off the post, would have beaten the flat footed GK of Gotham, a higher arcing ball was literally on frame. That would have made for a frantic last 12’. Racing hold it in tight quarters, find a player on the opposite side of the field but lose it, now have it and a foul by NY gets a caution for Esther as she takes out the feet from behind, this is near the goal but to the side, I shoot this ball, almost equal to the penalty spot 5 yards out of the area, played in headed out recovered by Racing they send it in headed out and out again a foot race Lou wins, back to the GK and here go Racing again. They just gave away a good 40 yards in a few passes backwards. Gotham win the battle for the ball at midfield and go endline, back for Esther she goes wide with it, a one time ball in is just off lost and then Lou get a throw deep in Gotham’s end, they lose it. Now to kill time and there is not pressure, Gotham is playing to the GK a few times. Too much now as Racing presses the defense and a player pick ups a knock, keep it in their defensive end. Porkorny in for Lou relieving Sears at 85’. Slight miscommunication with the defensive backs, allow Lou to hold the ball and get off a half chance, it is preseason, but that is not good. A quick restart by Lou gets the ball into the area but cleared. Another foul throw by Lou, this less than 20 yards away hurts. Foul throw Gotham...Lou gets endline, knocked out, they recover send it in again and Gotham makes a sub. A pair of Bats to enter at 89’, Freeman in Stengel out and Whitman in Bell out, this information coming on screen minutes later. Now they show, 3’ injury time. Another foul throw, wow like grade school soccer. Long ball in for Louis too high, goal kick with less than 30 seconds to go for Bats. The kick is out of play at the half and the game ends.
Neither team played well, not that either played poorly either, Both teams had good possession, each worked on pressing. In the end Gotham just kept coming and showed to be the better side. The own goal did not break Racing a good sign especially so early in the year.
The trophy is presented to Michelle Betos, she raises it with Zerboni & O’Hara and it is party time!