Challenge Cup ’23 Washington Spirit vs NJ/NY Gotham FC

Players to watch: Washington forward Ashley Hatch led the Spirit with three shots against North Carolina and is up to 62 career shots in the Challenge Cup. The only player with more career shot attempts in the competition’s history is Debinha (70). However, in the Spirit’s four games in this year’s Challenge Cup, Hatch has yet to find the back of the net in two total games, only one of which was a start.

Both McCall Zerboni and Jenna Nighswonger had a goal and an assist in the win over Orlando. It was the second time since 2015 that Gotham had two players with a goal and an assist in the same match in all competitions with Kristie Mewis and Midge Purce also accomplishing the feat against the Pride in 2022.

Match facts: The Washington Spirit look to bounce back from a historic loss against North Carolina last week when they welcome Gotham FC to Audi Field in the first of six Challenge Cup matches across the weekend. Washington currently sits in 3rd in the East Division with 3 points from four games played, while Gotham sits in 2nd place with 7 points from three games played.

The Spirit is coming off a 6-0 loss to the Courage on Saturday, the largest margin of defeat in any match in team history. It was the team’s first time allowing six or more goals since a 6-2 road loss against the Reign in May 2017.

Gotham FC earned a 3-1 road win over Orlando despite trailing early in the match. It was the second time in 2023 in all competitions that Gotham won an away match that it trailed in (March at Angel City) after the team had one comeback road win in the previous five seasons combined (July 2021 at Washington).

Washington and Gotham enter the match having played five times in Challenge Cup history, including a 1-0 Gotham win in April. There have been seven goals scored in the fixture in the competition with five of those seven coming from players at this year’s World Cup (Rodman-2, K. Mewis, Sanchez, Williams).

Just 5′ into the match and Midge Purce is on the scoresheet for Gotham FC, Barnhart fumbled the save attempt on a previous shot from distance, and Midge cleaned up the area blasting the ball past the down goalkeeper for the early lead. Severe weather in the area is on the way which will delay this match for a good amount of time. Gotham leads 0 – 1 in the opening minutes of play.

Photo Credit: Joe from Local W

Gotham wasting no time in punishing Washington tonight, Jenna Nighswonger gets on the board in the 8′, she received a cross from the right side of the box and headed the ball back in the direction it came from beating Barnhart to the 2nd post for an early 0 – 2 lead for the away side. The goal was assisted by Midge Purce who scored the earlier goal in the 5′ off a bad rebound by Barnhart.

Mark Parsons is not happy with the play from his team in the first 10′ of action, we will surely hear how the team didn’t show up to play at game time tonight, in tonight’s press conference. The question now is what the Spirit players will do. They’ve given up 8 goals in the last 100′ of play. In the last 5′ of play Gotham has come within inches of padding their lead, it could be 0 – 4 in the 16′ of play right now if not for 2 shots (Ryan and Sheehan) going just wide of their posts.

Barnhart finally holds onto a save tonight after coughing up the first one, this one was on the easier side. A slow roller into the 18-yard box. Play resumes after Betos went to the ground, an apparent leg cramp.

In the 26′ Silano causes a turnover in the final third and sends Hatchy in all alone beating Betos near post for the goal making it a 1-goal match with severe weather approaching fast. The scoreline is now 1 – 2 in the 27′. Silano is credited with the assist on Hatch’s goal.

Chloe with a near caused turnover in the midfield which would’ve sent Hatch in all alone again against Betos, but Sheehan recovers in time. The Spirit has been dangerous since the Hatch goal.

In the 35′ Stengel dances her way past McKeown and heads towards the goal on a tight angle, she sees Yaz open just inside the 18, but her pass doesn’t connect going just wide of Yazmeen Ryan and leads to a Spirit counterattack which fizzes out 30 yards from the goal.

Offside saves the Spirit as Stengel beats Barnhart badly inside the final 6 yards, it would’ve made the game a 1 -3 lead for Gotham heading towards the half. We’ve seen some lightning by National Park and heard some thunder, but the official is still playing on.

Spirit almost connects for a tying goal, but Betos charged up and got in the way just in time to preserve the one-goal lead Gotham currently has.

The match is under a Severe Weather Delay in the 43′ of the first half. It could be a good thing for either team honestly. Gotham started the match hot, now it is the Spirit who is hot and the delay hits.

We’re almost an hour into the severe weather delay and no timetable has been set for a return to play in the first half. As of now if the match is called the teams will need to replay from 0 – 0. For Gotham, they want to find a way to get to half, before the game is called so they can secure the win. Washington, however, wants it called now if it’s going to be called early. This way they can have a restart and a chance to get a needed win in the Challenge Cup standings.

After a one-hour and nine-minute severe weather delay the teams take the pitch to start their 15-minute warm-ups before resuming the first half of play at the 43′ of the half plus additional time. So far, the shortest delay in a Gotham FC game in which there was a severe weather delay involved.

Now the big question is, will the Spirit find that burst of play they had going into the delay? The Spirit got off to a slow and rough start, then when Hatch scored in the 26′ the tides changed between the sides. At 9:20 pm, we resumed play and there was a quick lightning bolt, but the referee is playing on.

The fourth official indicates a minimum of 6′ will be added to the first half. Zerboni absolutely mugs Chloe Ricketts in the 45’+3′ of the first half of play. She is shown a yellow card for her efforts on the play. Stabb unleashes a blast that hits the crossbar, goes straight up, hits the bar again, and goes out for a goal kick in the 45’+4′.

Gotham earns a late corner kick from the left of the goal, Spirit clears it out, Chloe gives chase and just as she is about to get to the ball the center ends the half. At the half, it remains Gotham 2 – 1 Spirit, Spirit needs this game, and I would be shocked if you don’t see Mark make some halftime adjustments to try and equalize the match before we get the next cluster of lightning.

Mark Parsons is back on the bench already with 7 minutes left to halftime before the play resumes for the second half.

The second half is underway, and another weather alert has come in saying the possibility for thunderstorms is over 90% at 10 p.m. which is in 15 minutes from now. Brooks goes into the referee’s book in the 49′ seeing her first yellow card of the match on a questionable foul call.

The goal in the 56′ by Camryn Biegalski, came after she ran onto the ball from Brooks, who was found by Hatchy after she took on 2 Gotham defenders, and spun to the middle of the field in the final third. We’re all tied up at 2 – 2 with another possible weather delay shortly. The goal was her first Challenge Cup goal and second career goal.

In the 62′ Hatch nearly set the place into pandemonium, she had Betos beat, and Ali Kreiger at the last second stuffed the shot at the goal. Hatch gets the goal just 43 seconds later from 20 yards out, to give the Spirit a 3 – 2 lead with 27 minutes left plus stoppage time.

Hatch is taken down, but no foul call is given, Hatchy is touching her left shoulder repeatedly, and the referee doesn’t call on the medical team. We’re now in the 67′ of play and Hatch is trying to get the hat trick.

Goal Chloe Ricketts from her big sister Ashley Hatch in the 70′ of the second half. She is the youngest goal scorer in the NWSL, and Ashley Hatch is the second player in league history to score twice and have an assist. The Spirit now leads 4 – 2 with 20′ plus stoppage to play.

The Spirit would hold on to take the win in a come from behind fashion. Ashley Hatch and her “little sister” Chloe Ricketts spells doom for Gotham who would’ve secured moving into the knockout rounds with a win. Not the good bud Ali Krieger wanted in D.C., the fans stuck around to send her off properly and thank her for her time in the DMV in her last homecoming barring a playoff match in the DMV.

#NWSL #SpiritRules #yerrrr

Photo Credit: Joe of the Local W and J.J. of Bad Dawg Sports