Though at home on Long Island, this will be the first game I see for Louisville since 1987, as my Louisville Thunder played their way to the 1986-’87 AISA tile, indoor soccer in a horse arena on the KY State Fairgrounds. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined the city would host two teams in so nice of a place as the Lynn Family Stadium.
Yasmine sends a lead ball to Williams but too much of a lead and the GK grabs it up. Corner for Louisville, Pickett takes it, a high lofted one, it winds up outside the area, played in taken by Gotham. They hold It on defense with a number of passes as it goes across the field and back again.. Again out to the other touchline, they get forward and give up possession. Here come Gotham but Ryan shoots across her body, skies her shot. Brunhina lays it back and gets hit on her plant leg. A long ball in is not controlled by the Racing player, Brunhina steals it away. A ball into the area, cleared again by the Brazilian Brunhina. As many as four players did not shoot for Gotham, Brunhina heels it to Ryan, forces the GK to ground but not a difficult save. Brunhina gets beat by a double step over, falls down as the veteran attacker and past African female Footballer of the Year gets off a shot but right at the GK of Gotham. Demelo with a great second effort gets the opening goal. She lays if off, it goes end line, back out it’s deflected by the GK and she sends it true a 24’. Ryan, to the top of the arc sends a square ball too fast for the onrushing Brunhina. Caution and well deserved for Nighswonger on the touchline at 28’. The DFK is taken from 30 yards out, flicked on by Louisville and out of touch. The crowd wants a pk, their player grabbed, causing Freeman to stumble, then the City player stumbles over here, best call. Smith is now down. A disjointed attack causes Gotham to lose the ball in the area. Allie Long moves herself to the right, gets it and feeds, Brunhina who has her ball in do nothing, A long shot by Gotham is not handled cleanly and Gotham has a corner. Sheehan not with the best of first touches on a long high ball loses it . Zerboni to Williams, across the area, a first time shot may have worked but not and City comes back at it. The right side is a weak point on defense for Gotham, Freeman and Brunhina cannot contain the offense of Kgatlana. Everyone but the ref had the foul on Gotham, even Brunhina was running back on D as it goes the other way. On the DFK, the ball is played long in, it bounces around a bi, the shot goes high but was deflected for another corner. Zerboni plays it in the area, the GK boxes it out and 2 Gotham players goo sprawling. Zerboni beats Pickett, then a ball in is again not timed right. Once more, Brunhina turned around by Kgatlana. Zerboni bulldozed Howell for a DFK near the arc a 45’. Not the time to give that up. A 5 person wall to face Demelo, just wide near post. A lot of pace on that ball as we enter 5’ of stoppage time due to a few injuries, players are still on thee field. Sheehan double teamed, megs one can’t beat the next deep in her offensive 3rd. Williams gets off a shot, saved, rebound to Gotham and they may go end line, pull it back to Bruhnina who sends in an errant pass. NY does not have an answer for his offense. Now a corner for Louisville. Wang, ahe first Chinse hnatianl in he laguee takes the kick I is cleared to half field.
What must NY do, 2 things are glaring to me, the right side defense, and not taking the shots when they present themselves.
Thirty seconds in Louisville goes up by 2. The South African giving fits to the back line, all alone past Freeman, it’s partially blocked by the shin of Smith but it finds the back of the net for Kgatlana. A jail break but Howel is high on her shot, her steal may have been a foul, but with a lack of follow through, it is tough to keep the ball down. O’Hara a 2nd half sub, sends Millett head over heel. Kgatlana looking for the foul on Brunhina but no whistle. NY holds the ball across the area does nothing with it, back again no shot. Kgatlana, again has her way with Freeman but just wide on her attempt at the brace. Where is the defender with more pace for Gotham? Sheehan out as are Zerboni and Ryan. Williams plays one into the area it is cleared back to Gotham and back in now they win a corner. On comes the ex Gotham player Monaghan for City. Mewis who just came in, sends the ball in, now she has another one. She finds O’Hara who goes off the woodwork. Impactful subs. O’Hara, beaten takes down the attacking player who loses her GPS unit. Pickett again and again into the Gotham player, gets the call. Ryan for Farrelly, her return pass is deflected over the endline next corner for Gotham. Mewis finds Williams but well away from the goal, the header had no gas on it once it go to the net. O’Hara fouled but it gets to the endline via Mewis etc., back to Long looking for Mewis it is off a defender for another corner. These corners are finding their marks but not the back of the net, here the 2nd ball is headed on but again from so far. Gotham has no quit in them, they keep pressing, they must hold the ball keeping it away from the front line of Louisville as well. Williams does take a shot, but leans back and it goes high, yes deflected for another corner. Long with a bad turnover to Demelo and does the professional foul of pulling her down in the arc, then helps her up. This a 71’ DFK from real close, an 8 person wall. Why is Kjatlana not being doubled with throwins from 25 yards? Last 15’ Gotham must push forward now. The ball in the area 5x, not shot, Mewis takes a half effort, blocked and now it’s Louisville’s ball. A turn over for NY they play it in, right to the feet of the ref. O’Hara fouled, was it in or beyond the area, being given just outside, replay shows it to be the right call. A great chance at 79’ to restore some hope for the visitors. Over the ball is Mewis maybe 10 yard from the endline she goes 10’ over the goal. Kelly knows how to stop the attack, send them to the ground. Long comes out at 82’. Ryan on the left finds Mewis who sends one at the netminder from 25 yards. Though their inability to stop the home team offensively has been their downfall here, Gotham has done little if anything on offense to get in the game anyway. Many missed passes and shots passed up on have been another issue. A yellow to Williams for a foul on Howell at 89’ in the area, the bottom of her foot caught the hometown player in the midsection. Mewis lets it bounce, then lofts it in the area from the top of the box, strike that ball on goal. New forward on the right for Louisville, same result leaving Gotham in her dust. Freeman down as the extra time is eclipsed, so it drags on more. Brunhina mishits one at 7’ as Erceg is down on the other side of the field. Her shot did not go on goal but into the stands more or less in front of her, too high even if it was on goal.
The final 2-0 was a total team loss for Gotham, very lack luster, not what will keep them high on the table as they are today, hoping the home field turns their fortunes around next game.