Gotham FC extended their unbeaten streak to nine matches, tying a club record with a 0-0 draw against Angel City FC on Sunday night in Los Angeles.
Sam Kerr came close to putting Gotham ahead with several close-range chances, while her late curling effort was denied by the crossbar.
“Technically, as a team, there was a lot of unforced turnovers and we said we wanted to be a little bit more aggressive,” acting head coach Shaun Harris said during his post-match press conference.
“So that was the plan coming back into the second half. I thought the second half, it was a lot better. We definitely created a few more chances and unfortunate not to put one away.”
Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson saved a late Guro Reiten penalty kick to keep the match scoreless. VAR had ruled that Sarah Gorden handled the ball, which appeared to be a harsh decision.
No Update on Rose Lavelle After She Exited Under Concussion Protocol
While the draw continued Gotham’s impressive run since returning from the April international break, star midfielder Rose Lavelle suffered a concerning head injury.
Lavelle was forced to exit the match after she landed on the back of her head on BMO Stadium’s turf. She was attended to by training staff for several minutes before getting back on her feet.
The 31-year-old midfielder was able to walk down the tunnel under her own power. She was replaced by defender Mandy Freeman in the 37th minute under concussion protocol. Lavelle will continue to be evaluated to determine the severity of her head injury.
Harris: Lavelle ‘Is a Key Part of Our Team’
That said, Gotham has yet to make any further announcements regarding the injury. Following the match, Harris was unable to offer any updates on Lavelle’s status. The team held a brief press conference before boarding a flight back to New Jersey.
“Obviously, Rose is a key part of our team,” Harris stated. “At the same time, everyone kind of knows the roles and responsibilities of each position, and we have players to be able to step in and fill that role. So, obviously, it’s not ideal, but at the same time, we have people in and around to be able to fill in and move certain stuff around. I thought, you know, we coped with it quite well.”
Gotham FC will return home to Sports Illustrated Stadium on Friday, August 28, to face Portland Thorns FC.
Friday’s contest will kick off at 8 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast on ION.
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