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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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Recap: Gotham FC Falls 2-0 to Denver Summit FC |
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Gotham FC dropped its first game of the young 2026 season on Wednesday night, falling 2-0 to expansion side Denver Summit FC at Sports Illustrated Stadium. In the first meeting between the clubs, Denver’s Melissa Kössler and Tash Flint scored the decisive goals in the second half of a cagey match. “It’s a disappointing night for us with that result at home,” said Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós. “We had the target to be better at home this year, and we need to have more consistent performances.” Gotham FC (1-1-1, 4 points) dropped into the middle of the NWSL standings following the result, conceding its first goals of the 2026 campaign after opening the season with back-to-back clean sheets. Denver created the better opportunities in the first half, forcing goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger into action early. In the 22nd minute, Berger produced a massive save to deny Kössler from close range, and Berger was called upon again moments later to comfortably gather another effort from the German forward. The visitors found the breakthrough in the 58th minute when Kössler finished a move down the right side to give Denver the lead. Gotham nearly equalized in the 66th minute when substitute Jordynn Dudley found herself one-on-one with Smith, but the Denver goalkeeper closed Dudley’s angle and blocked a point-blank effort. Flint doubled Denver’s lead in the 73rd minute, capitalizing on a turnover in the defensive third to extend the margin and end the reigning champions’ unbeaten start to league play. Gotham FC will wrap its three-match homestand on Sunday when it hosts the Orlando Pride at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Kickoff for Sunday’s match is set for 7 p.m. ET with the match streaming on Victory+. Key Match Points
Gotham FC vs Denver Summit FC Wednesday, March 25, 2026 7 p.m. ET kickoff Sports Illustrated Stadium; Harrison, NJ Attendance: 5,000 Weather: 48 degrees, partly cloudy Gotham FC (0, 0 – 0) Denver Summit FC (0, 2 – 2) Scoring Summary
Denver Summit FC 58’ - Melissa Kössler (Yuna McCormack) 73’ - Tash Flint
Gotham FC (4-3-3): 30 – Ann-Katrin Berger (GK); 19 – Kayla Duran, 6 – Emily Sonnett, 27 – Jess Carter (C) (63’ 15 – Tierna Davidson), 4 – Lilly Reale; 7 – Jaelin Howell, 13 – Savannah McCaskill, 21 – Sofia Cook (46’ 16 – Rose Lavelle); 11 – Sarah Schupansky (63’ 23 – Midge Purce), 24 – Andrea Kitahata (46’ 9 – Esther González), 28 – Katie Lampson (63’ 2 – Jordynn Dudley) Unused substitutes: 1 – Shelby Hogan (GK); 14 – Talia Sommer, 17 – Mak Whitham, 34 – Khyah Harper Head coach: Juan Carlos Amorós Denver Summit FC (4-3-3): 1 – Abby Smith (GK); 6 – Janine Sonis, 2 – Meg Reid (68’ 23 – Eva Gaetino), 3 – Kaleigh Kurtz (C), 16 – Carson Pickett; 5 – Devin Lynch, 24 – Delanie Sheehan, 26 – Tash Flint; 14 – Yuna McCormack (79’ 7 – Ayo Oke), 25 – Melissa Kössler (68’ 11 – Ally Brazier), 9 – Yazmeen Ryan Unused substitutes: 19 – Pauline Petraud-Magnin (GK); 4 – Natalie Means, 8 – Emma Regan, 19 – Lourdes Bosch, 33 – Olivia Thomas, 79 – Nahikari García Head coach: Nick Cushing Stats Summary GFC / DEN Expected Goals: 1.14 / 1.9 Shots: 11 / 8 Shots on Goal: 4 / 5 Saves: 3 / 4 Corners: 6 / 4 Fouls: 12 / 11 Offside: 1 / 2 Misconduct Summary
Gotham FC 39’ - Lilly Reale (Yellow Card - Tactical Foul) 90+ 5’ - Jaelin Howell (Yellow Card - Dissent) Denver Summit FC 26’ - Tash Flint (Yellow Card - Reckless Offense) 63’ - Meg Reid (Yellow Card - Tactical Foul) Officials Referee: Muhammad Hassan Assistant Referee 1: Zeno Cho Assistant Referee 2: Matthew Rodman 4th Official: Luis Diego Arroyo VAR: Shawn Tehini AVAR: Tony Obas
Key Quotes HEAD COACH JUAN CARLOS AMORÓS On what needs to improve ahead of the next match
We need to make sure we punish teams when the opportunities are there. We need to recognize those moments and take advantage of them.
We know how the NWSL is — often the team that scores first gets the result. When we’ve done that, we’ve won. In the last two games, we haven’t been able to do it. That’s the main priority.
DEFENDER JESS CARTER On the team’s performance in the match
We were disappointed with the result. I think they exploited our weaknesses quite well today. There are a few things we needed to tidy up, and we should have been a bit more compact.
We could have been tidier on the ball at times, but we still created a couple of big chances as well. The game is a bit of a blur for me already.
MIDFIELDER SAVANNAH MCCASKILL On the team’s performance in the match It was a game where we had the better chances, didn’t finish them and didn’t keep the ball out of our own net. We have to be better than that.
MIDFIELDER SOFIA COOK On bouncing back and turning things around quickly
It’s been a long week, but I love playing. We have three games. We can take what we did last game and this game, see what we did well, what we need to work on and go from there. I’m super excited.
FORWARD ANDREA KITAHATA On making her first NWSL start
It felt incredible. I’m so grateful to be with this group, with such incredible players and historic success.
To be able to start and contribute to the team is all I can ask for, and I’m really excited for the rest of the year. ### |
ABOUT GOTHAM FCRepresenting New Jersey and New York with top global talent, Gotham FC is one of 16 clubs in the National Women’s Soccer League. The club won its first NWSL championship in 2023 and captured the first continental club trophy in North American women’s soccer by winning the inaugural 2024-25 Concacaf W Champions Cup, earning qualification for the first editions of the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup. Gotham went on to secure its second NWSL championship in 2025, becoming the lowest seed in league history to win the title.
Rebranded as Gotham FC in 2021, the club plays its home matches at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J. Originally founded in 2007 as Sky Blue FC, the team won the inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer Championship in 2009 and has been a founding member of the NWSL since the league’s launch in 2013. |