Geyse converted a penalty in the 62nd minute and rookie Kayla Duran scored her first professional goal in Gotham FC’s 2-0 win over Alianza FC in the Concacaf W Champions Cup group stage on a rainy Tuesday night in El Salvador.
The win nudged Gotham FC (2-0-0, 6 points) to the brink of clinching a spot in the W Champions Cup semifinals for the second consecutive season, with a win on Sept. 21 at Vancouver Rise Academy the last remaining barrier.
“It wasn’t our best performance,” Duran said on the postmatch broadcast interview on Paramount Plus, ”but odds are sometimes stacked against us with traveling and all that, and we’re happy to get three points.”
Gotham FC controlled the proceedings at Estadio Las Delicias in Santa Tecla, a small city an hour west of San Salvador, the capital and largest city in the Central American country. The visitors held 74% of possession and outshot Alianza, 13-3, but struggled to find the target until Geyse’s breakthrough.
In the build-up to Geyse’s goal, her second in Concacaf competition after scoring the go-ahead goal in last season’s semifinal, midfielder Sofia Cook won a penalty on the edge of the box when Alianza defender Linda Guillén knocked her down pursuing a bouncing loose ball.
Geyse left no doubt with her penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way and slotting home a shot in the top right corner.
Duran, a rookie starting her second Concacaf group stage match after signing her first pro contract with Gotham earlier this summer, found a free header on the back post in the fourth minute of stoppage time to provide some late-game insurance.
The result chips away at the goal differential advantage the Washington Spirit owns heading into tomorrow’s match against Vancouver Rise Academy. Gotham FC (plus-3) will have work to do to catch Washington (1-0-0, 3 points, plus-7 differential), with the Spirit heavily favored vs. their Canadian visitors.
The Oct. 1 match in Philadelphia between Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit is shaping up to be a decisive game in the Group A standings of the Concacaf W Champions Cup, though Mexican powerhouse CF Monterrey may still have something to say when it plays the Spirit on Oct. 16.
Gotham FC now returns to NWSL action, coming home for a clash with West Coast side Angel City FC on Sunday at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET, with broadcast coverage on ESPN.
Key Match Points
- Gotham FC opens with back-to-back wins in the Concacaf W Champions Cup group stage for the first time in club history.
- In 2024, GFC recorded one win and one draw through its first two group stage matches.
- This is Gotham’s fourth clean sheet in tournament history, having recorded three shutouts in four group stage matches last year.
- The club has now scored in all but one of its matches in Concacaf W Champions Cup play through both editions of the competition.
- Forward Geyse scored her first goal of the 25-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup group stage on a first-half penalty.
- This is her third goal this season for Gotham, and first since notching the game winner against Bay FC on June 21.
- Defender Kayla Duran recorded her first Gotham FC goal in second half stoppage time.
- Rookie midfielder Sarah Schupansky notched her sixth total assist this season, and first of this year’s Concacaf W Champions Cup.
- Forward Mak Whitham made her first competitive start in a match for Gotham FC, becoming the youngest player to start a game in club history (15y/1m/6d).
- Midfielder Nealy Martin led all players in touches (106), and tied Schupansky in duels won (9).
Gotham FC at Alianza FC
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
9 p.m. ET kickoff
Estadio Las Delicias, Santa Tecla, El Salvador
Attendance: 294
Weather: 76 degrees, mostly cloudy
Gotham FC (2, 0 – 2)
Alianza FC (0, 0 – 0)
Goal Summary:
Gotham FC
62’-- Geyse
90+4 – Kayla Duran (Sarah Schupansky)
Gotham FC (4-3-3): 1 – Shelby Hogan (GK); 22 – Mandy Freeman © (65’ 23 – Midge Purce), 19 – Kayla Duran, 27 – Jess Carter (46’ 3 – Bruninha), 8 – Taryn Torres; 11 – Sarah Schupansky, 14 – Nealy Martin, 21 – Sofia Cook; 34 – Khyah Harper, 17 – Mak Whitham (46’ 28 – Katie Stengel) (75’ 5 – Josefine Hasbo) , 10 – Geyse (63’ 18 – Gabi Portilho)
Unused substitutes: 12 – Ryan Campbell (GK); 4 – Lilly Reale, 7 – Jaelin Howell
Head coach: Juan Carlos Amorós
Alianza FC (4-3-3): 1 – Roxana Vega (GK); 23 – Irma Hernández, 5 – Santana Pressley, 17 – Priscila Ortíz, 3 – Marilyn Cabrera (81’ 26 – Yaneth Sotelo); 12 – Génesis Carpio (58’ 19 – Raquel Ramirez), 4 – Linda Gullién (29 – Neyda Martinez), 22 - Mónica Menjivar (8 – Joseline Rivas); 10 – Ashley Webb, 9 – Paola Calderon, 7 – Tatiana Hawkins
Unused substitutes: 25 – Samantha Valadez (GK); 6 – Rosmery Mendoza, 14 – Paola Cerén, 16 – Iliana Molina, 20 - Keyri Garcia, 24 – Jessica Silva, 27 – Alejandra Agundez, 30 – Gladis Ulloa
Head coach: Luis Sosa
Stats Summary
GFC / ALI
Expected Goals: 1.58 / .06
Shots: 13 / 13
Shots on Goal: 2 / 0
Saves: 0 / 2
Corners: 8 / 0
Fouls: 12 / 14
Offside: 0 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
Gotham FC
42’- 8 – Taryn Torres (Yellow Card – Reckless Offence)
Alianza FC
51’- 17 – Priscila Ortíz (Yellow Card – Reckless Offence)
73’ - 4 – Linda Gullién (Yellow Card – Reckless Offence)
Officials
Referee: Astrid Gramajo (GUA)
Assistant Referee 1: Iris Vail (GUA)
Assistant Referee 2: Sherly Socop (GUA)
4th Official: Erika Gonzalez (MEX)
Key Quotes
DEFENDER KAYLA DURAN (via Paramount+ postgame interview)
On the performance and win
We got the win. It wasn’t pretty at times, but we’re happy to get the win. … At the end of the day, we got three points. It wasn’t our best performance, but odds are sometimes stacked against us with traveling and all that, but we’re happy to get three points.
MIDFIELDER SOFIA COOK (mixed zone)
On the key for winning the match
I think it was just the work we put in all game. They had a lower block, so just trying to break it down, and then I think we started getting our rhythm in. Then Geyse gave us the momentum with the penalty and Kayla had that awesome goal. So I'd say those things.
On not scoring until the 62nd minute
Their defense was very organized, so I think it was just passing on that. And then on the field, too, we realized the ball is in behind, they just keep going out. So at halftime, we reevaluated, and I think you saw we came out keeping the ball a lot more in the second half, and then we finally got the goal.
GOALKEEPER SHELBY HOGAN (mixed zone)
On the difference between Alianza and Gotham
It was a difficult match for us. I think they caused problems, and we weren't our cleanest. We weren't the cleanest on the ball, so I think we put ourselves in some difficult situations. They played great and we obviously needed a better performance as a team to take advantage of our opportunities.
