Credit GothamFC
By Juan Carlos Maygua
Gotham FC faced Racing Louisville FC for the NWSL season. Gotham sits in 3rd place having a good season despite losing key players for the Olympics. If things stand, they assure a place in the playoffs. Caprice Dydasco is having a great season after being selected for the team of the month & having top assist numbers in the league. Racing Louisville FC is the other side of the coin, but numbers are secondary once the players take the field. They managed to take the game to Gotham and fought until the end.
Kailen Sheridan returned to action for Gotham. Her achievement with Canada in the Olympics added motivation to the group with her return. I figured the switch in time zones would affect her game performance, but she looked as if she had never left. The match started with Racing Louisville FC on the attack. Ebony Salmon & Savanna McCaskill dominated the right side of the field and created most of the plays for the visitors. Nadia Nadim scored the opening goal for Louisville after Ebony Salmon found her unmarked. The former Gotham FC player found the net early in the first half, establishing dominance for the visitors. Kailen Sheridan made a key save against Ebony Salmon in the 25th minute to keep Gotham in the game.
Despite the dominance, Alexandra Long was key in distributing the game for Gotham. In total, she would have 98.3% passing accuracy throughout the game. Ifeoma Onomounu was the reference in the attack for Gotham. Her runs on the wings made her the focal point to create danger in the box. It’s important to mention that Margaret Purce is unavailable due to injury. While Carli Lloyd is yet to return to action for Gotham. However, as I said, the group looks to be united, so the absences go unnoticed. The importance of not losing points at home became a factor for Gotham this season. Ifeoma Onomounu had that clear and found the back of the net in the 83rd minute of the game. The unstoppable shot secured a point for Gotham FC, who had another opportunity during additional time. Unfortunately, time was short, but it was a positive result.
The team now focuses on the game against Orlando Pride. The fixture will have a direct impact on the top positions for the division. It will also mark the return for Lloyd after returning from the Olympic games. However, her return will, unfortunately, signal the end of her professional career. Lloyd announced her retirement at the end of the season. The result with the national team could have accelerated her decision, but her legacy is made of gold, nonetheless. The game loses a legend, but I’m sure it will inspire future generations.