Gotham FC extended its unbeaten streak to seven games by earning a 1-0 victory over San Diego Wave FC at a humid Sports Illustrated Stadium on Friday night.
The result means that the Bats will remain in first place into late next week, regardless of how the rival Washington Spirit fare against the North Carolina Courage on Saturday.
Jaedyn Shaw’s First-Half Strike Lifts Gotham
Jaedyn Shaw provided the match-winning goal in the 44th minute when she curled a precise effort past San Diego goalkeeper Sandra Paños. An earlier effort by Guro Reiten was denied by the upright in the 17th minute.
“Coming in, we knew this was going to be a tough game,” Shaw said following the win. “We knew it was going to be a battle of possession. We can all be really proud of ourselves with the way we performed today. We really fought through the game, grinded out the win and stayed at the top of the table.
“Sometimes that’s just how it is. You have to grind out games. You have to be able to win in different ways.”
After Shaw’s goal, Gotham spent the entire second half stymying San Diego attacks and dominating territory.
“One of the biggest things that we spoke about [was] getting in their face, we’re on home territory,” Gotham FC acting head coach Shaun Harris said during his post-match press conference. “They’ve had to travel, which is making it really difficult for them to be able to play their game. So just enforcing that assertiveness, the aggression from high up the pitch as possible.”
Goalkeeping Tandem Berger and Hogan Combine for League-Best 12 Shutouts
First-choice goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger wasn’t tested often in her first start since a 2-2 draw away to Portland on July 24.
“I trust Ann in her ability and what she sees in the game,” Harris stated. “She really, really takes those moments to absorb the pressure and then just find the passes to be able to get us out. So really, really key, really good performance from Ann.
“I’m really happy for her. She’s back in the team now, and she really helped us to get the win.”
Berger returned between the sticks in Friday’s contest after Shelby Hogan recorded back-to-back shutouts. Having earned another clean sheet, Berger and Hogan have now combined to help Gotham to a league-leading 12 shutouts.
Taryn Torres Sees Increased Minutes in Third Appearance Since Return
Midfielder Taryn Torres played for 17 minutes in her third appearance since returning from a long-term knee injury. It was her 50th appearance across all NWSL competitions.
“It was great to be back after my second ACL,” Torres explained. “To be back at home with the crowd after the crazy storm before the game and to stay at the top of the table against a great team like San Diego was awesome.
“All my teammates, my coaches, the medical staff – everyone was super supportive of me. It’s been a long process. I’m really happy to be back. Everyone has been so supportive, and as you can see, it really means a lot to me.”
Right-back Bruninha made her first start of the season. Meredith Speck was named to the bench, but her Gotham debut will need to wait as she did not take part in the match.
The 33-year-old midfielder signed with the Bats on Thursday and could play her first match for Gotham next Friday against the Kansas City Current.
Sports Illustrated Stadium will host next Friday’s contest, which is scheduled for 8 p.m. start and will be carried on Prime Video.
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