After a two and a half hour weather delay, Gotham FC brought the thunder with some late dramatics to earn a 3-2 comeback win over Seattle Reign FC.
The result pulled the Bats into first place, overtaking San Diego Wave FC.
After going down 2-0, a pair of Esther González goals pulled the contest even before Rose Lavelle scored an incredible curler in the 98th minute to win the match.
“That’s why you love sports,” forward Midge Purce stated after the win. “I think it’s so special to be a part of a comeback like that. I actually don’t think there’s another thing on this earth that I’ve experienced that’s as fun as coming back like that.
“We just have such a roster to do that. So it was amazing to have the confidence in all the players around me, the experience around me and the mentality around me to know that we can, and I really believe that we would come back.”
Lavelle’s 98th-Minute Stunner Completes Dramatic Victory
On Wednesday, Lavelle scored a remarkable strike to lift the Bats to a 1-0 victory over the rival Washington Spirit in The Queens Classic at Citi Field. She followed it with an iconic moment at Icahn Stadium.
Gotham and Seattle kicked off at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time as the rain continued to drench the Randalls Island pitch.
The Reign jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute when Mia Fishel coolly slotted a penalty past Ann-Katrin Berger. Mandy Freeman conceded the penalty by bringing down Seattle midfielder Maddie Mercado.
Within 22 minutes, Seattle had gained a 2-0 advantage. Mercado finished off a rapid counterattack by finishing off Maddie Dahlien’s feed.
Gotham failed to make Seattle pay in the first half despite owning 72 percent of possession before the sides went into the halftime break.
Juan Carlos Amorós to Take Five-Week Parental Leave
Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós responded by summoning González and Guro Reiten from the Gotham bench to replace defenders Jess Carter and Freeman.
The 42-year-old manager would announce following Saturday’s match that he is going on parental leave for a period of five weeks, with lead assistant head coach Shaun Harris taking over as acting head coach.
Seattle had the opportunity to score three unanswered goals when Emily Sonnett’s challenge brought down Reign midfielder Sally Menti. After a prolonged VAR review, a penalty was awarded, but Dahlien was thwarted by the post.
Amorós again looked to his bench for a spark in the 63rd minute by bringing on Sam Kerr and Bruninha to replace Sarah Schupansky and Savannah McCaskill.
Esther González Sparks Gotham’s Comeback
González continued her resurgent ways by scoring from an 81st-minute header. The Spanish international found the net moments after striking the crossbar.
Down 2-1, Gotham players pushed forward in search of an equalizer.
Recent signing Denise O’Sullivan made her Gotham debut in the 82nd minute. The Republic of Ireland international midfielder replaced midfielder Jaelin Howell.
“Any team can win on any given day,” O’Sullivan said after her debut. “I think with Gotham, I love the way that the team plays. I’ve always admired the style of play and getting the ball down possession and high press out of possession. I think that suits me as a player.
“So that’s what drew me to Gotham. Also, I think the team’s mentality, they have a history of winning.”
González would collect her second brace in three matches by leveling the match in the 94th minute. Then Lavelle sent the home fans at Icahn Stadium into wild celebrations with her 98th-minute golazo.
Gotham will begin a three-match road trip starting with a visit to Providence Park to face Portland Thorns FC on July 24. The Bats will return home to Sports Illustrated on August 7 when they host San Diego Wave FC.
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