San Diego Wins the Clash at Red Bull Arena

The matchup between Gotham FC and San Diego Wave will be explosive, both teams enter the match trying to take the first seed in the NWSL. heading in the current standings have the Portland Thorn FC in first with 19 points, Gotham FC in 2nd with 17 points along with the Washington Spirit, sitting in a tie for third place with 16 points apiece is San Diego and OL Reign.

They’re turning the lights on at Red Bull Arena despite it being an early start and there should be plenty of sun. Currently, the sky is overcast and grey, the arena is starting to slowly fill, spoke with a few fans who said, “The lines wrap the arena, and security didn’t open enough gates to handle the crowd flow.” So, looks like we will see fans entering during kick-off as well as after kick-off.

Juan appears to be wearing a NJ/NY Gotham baseball jersey during the team warm-ups. No sign of Abby Smith in goal, so far, it’s Michelle Betos who has one game under her belt in the Challenger Cup, and Mandy Haught also saw action during the Challenger Cup. Gotham gets applause from the fans as they leave the field to get ready for the match. The Betos fan base is in the house, she gets a standing ovation leaving the field from her supporters.

Kelly O’Hara, Lynn Williams, Taylor Smith, and Kristen Edmonds all were presented before kick-off. Well, that anthem singing if you can call it that was interesting, time to get ready for the game. The game is not even close to a sellout like Ticketmaster showed on their website. The total attendance for the match was 15,058 which sets the club record for highest attended match.

The resident referee gets another call wrong, it’s become a comedy show at every match now. In the 7′ we got to witness a 1 v 1 between Lynn Williams and Alex Morgan, Lynn won the battle and cleared the ball to her goalkeeper Abby Smith. Not the matchup we thought we would see but it was great to witness.

We just saw 5 players on the backline for Gotham in the 14′ of play, that is a rarity, and not sure of the exact reason but it left no release valve for the team and created a turnover for San Diego. Gotham should hold a referee class for its fans, having to hear the inaccurate yells every game from the same support section near the team bench is hilarious, and also not winning Gotham any favors from the officials.

The match was delayed for about 3′ due to a player injury for San Diego, which looks to be Alex Morgan. She is still being stretched on the far sideline. In the 42′ we’ve seen the 7th offside of the match, it was the 6th for San Diego. The fourth has indicated a minimum of 4′ will be added to the first half. The biggest story of the first half has been the 7 offside offenses for San Diego, Gotham had 4 shots but nothing dangerous, all the hype and build-up, and nothing to show for it at all.

The Stats say Gotham should be winning this match, the reality is that the stats aren’t showing the whole picture. Both teams have their best out there, but we’ve seen nothing but offside calls, it’s either a record or close to it for sure.

San Deigo makes two substitutions to start the second half, they bring on Makenzy Doniak for Rachel Hill and Jaedyn Shaw for Taylor Kornieck. It doesn’t take Makenzy long to make a difference she finds the back of the net in the 46′ after Jaedyn Shaw sends a 45-yard through-ball into the box for the on-running Makenzy. Makenzy beat Ali Long to the ball, tapped it to the left of Smith, then down to the 2-yard mark and into the center of the net. Juan is unhappy and is now drawing up play’s for Zerboni and Martin on the bench. Abby denies Morgan from point-blank range in the 55′ diving to her right to make the save.

Abby starts a quick counter and Naomi gets back just in time to stop Yazmeen Ryan from a breakaway on goal from the sideline 61′. Gotham makes two substitutions Eli Jean exits for Nealy Martin and Farrelly exits for McCall Zerboni in the 62′. Gotham needs to find an answer soon if it wants back into the game. They’re playing tight and not at all like the team we’ve been accustomed to seeing this season. Huge saves by Bruninha and Smith in the 72′ Jaedyn taking both shots at the goal.

Now a save by Kristie Mewis in the 73′, the ball is cleared, and Gotham makes a substitution bringing on Onumonu for Delanie Sheehan. Morgan with a rare misfire from 18 yards out in the 76′ keeps the game at 1 – 0 San Diego. In the 77′ Ryan is doubled up and has no room to go, defender causes her to go out of play with the ball for a Wave goal kick. Not the player you want taking that shot at the top of the 18 in the 78′ with Lynn right there. Zerboni needs to back off and let Lynn rip that one.

Jakobsson gets beat for the 5th time and for the 5th time, she is down complaining of injury. Look just like the Orlando City keeper she can walk, it’s a miracle again!! We’re in the 86′ and Gotham is still trying to solve the San Diego backline, Lynn goes 1 v 2 and wins the battle by getting the corner kick.

Mewis with a quick corner and it’s saved by Sheridan, not what Gotham needed there. In the 88′ San Deigo brings on Ali for Enge. Kristie breaks her defender in the box, and she is taken down, but the referee says she went down too easily, no call. 90′ Gotham earns a corner kick, and the referee blows the play dead calling a Gotham foul in the box.

The fourth official shows a minimum of 7′ and the fans start to make their way for their cars. Lynn William’s header in the 90’+2′ is saved by Sheridan and now Alex Morgan is getting booed for time wasting, she goes down at midfield needing to be stretched and the official lets her take her time, he should be adding on another 2 minutes for it. Alex is coming out for Meggie Dougherty in the 90’+3′.

Header by Krieger from 16 and it is saved by Sheridan off the free kick taken by Mewis 25 yards from the goal. Probably the last play now, Jenna takes the shot 24 yards from goal but it’s a floater to Sheridan who makes the easy save. That’s it, not sure why Juan didn’t let Smith run into the clearance and put it back in the box at the end. Instead, he wanted Yazmeen to get it, when she did get there the official said that is the game.

A disappointing result for Gotham and a game that showed this team still has a way to go. First place was there for Gotham’s taking and the pressure got to them, they played tight and not the relaxed team we’ve seen in past matches. Portland and San Deigo are tied for first in points, but Portland has the goal-difference lead. NY and Washington sit 2 points out of first place.

Gotham returns to action on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ at 7:30 PM EST.