Gotham FC Plays to Draw Against Visiting Chicago

Jaelin Howell clattered the crossbar and Mak Whitham’s two late chances required quality saves as Gotham FC drew the visiting Chicago Stars, 0-0, in a frustrating Sunday matinee at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Gotham FC quintupled Chicago’s expected goals (1.01-0.23) and outshot the Stars (14-4) but couldn’t find a breakthrough. It was, however, Gotham’s fourth shutout this season, the most in the NWSL, with goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger making one save, a fingertip redirection on a well-placed long shot from Chicago.

“We had some very good chances in the first half, some very good chances in the second, [and] obviously that last one would have been very special with Mak [Whitham], but sometimes it is what it is, zero-zero,” said Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós. “We had one point two weeks ago and were second from the bottom, today we are third, so I think it’s a credit to the fantastic work everyone is putting in.”

The point earned moved Gotham (3-2-3, 12 points) into a three-way tie for third place on points with Portland and Washington, though Washington has a game in hand. Gotham’s 10 points from its last five matches represent the best form in the league, helping Amorós’s group shoot up the NWSL standings into the top three.

It was another strong defensive performance from Gotham, which tied eventual league champion Orlando as the league’s top defense last year. Chicago (1-5-1, four points) didn’t register a shot attempt in the game’s final 30 minutes, and of the four total attempts, only two were from inside the box and one was on target. The Stars didn’t have an attempt on target in the first half.

Defender Emily Sonnett won 10 possessions for Gotham FC while Howell won nine possessions and eight duels. Both players registered full 90-minute performances, continuing their ironwoman starts to the 2025 campaign having played every minute.

This will be a short week for Gotham FC: The team hits the road for a Friday night matchup at Racing Louisville FC at Lynn Family Stadium, with Amazon Prime Video carrying the national broadcast.

Key Match Points

• Gotham FC secured its fourth clean sheet of the 2025 NWSL season, tied for the most of any NWSL team this season with the Kansas City Current.
  • This clean sheet is the third consecutive clean sheet against Chicago in all competitions.
• GFC held Chicago without a shot on goal in the first half and one for the entire match.
• Gotham shut out its opponents in the first half for the seventh time in nine matches dating back to last season.
• Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger posted her fourth shutout of the season, tied for the league lead.
  • The 0-0 draw was her 12th career clean sheet for Gotham FC.
• Midfielder Nealy Martin surpassed 5,000 minutes in all competitions for Gotham FC, finishing the afternoon with 5,010.
• Forward Midge Purce hit 10,000 minutes in all NWSL competitions with her second-half appearance against the Stars.
• Midfielder Sofia Cook made her first NWSL appearance after subbing in for fellow rookie Sarah Schupansky in the second half against Chicago.
  • She is the fifth Gotham rookie to play this season, the most rookies used by any club this season.
• Berger, midfielder Jaelin Howell and defender Emily Sonnett all continued their streak of playing every minute this season.
  • Sonnett is one appearance away from the 150 mark for NWSL regular season matches played.

Gotham FC vs. Chicago Stars FC

Sunday, May 4, 2025

1 p.m. ET kickoff

Sports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison, NJ

Attendance: 7,330

Weather: 70 degrees, rainy

Gotham FC (0, 0 – 0)

Chicago Stars FC (0, 0 – 0)

Gotham FC (4-3-3): 30 – Ann-Katrin Berger (GK); 3 – Bruninha, 6 – Emily Sonnett, 14 – Nealy Martin (c), 4 – Lilly Reale; 7 – Jaelin Howell, 8 – Taryn Torres (79’ 22 – Mandy Freeman), 11 – Sarah Schupansky (79’ 21 – Sofia Cook); 10 – Geyse (46’ 23 – Midge Purce), 9 – Esther González, 13 – Ella Stevens (81’ 17 – Mak Whitham)

Unused substitutes: 12 – Ryan Campbell (GK), 33 – Michelle Betos (GK); 24 – Emerson Elgin, 34 – Khyah Harper, 90 – Stella Nyamekye

Head coach: Juan Carlos Amorós

Chicago Stars FC (4-2-3-1): 1 – Alyssa Naeher (GK) (c); 30 – Cameron Biegalski, 4 – Cari Roccaro, 3 – Sam Staab, 32 – Taylor Malham; 77 – Maitane, 20 – Bea Franklin; 21 – Julia Grosso (89’ 10 – Shea Groom); 14 – Ludmila (89’ 23 – Micayla Johnson), 34 – Ally Schlegel (79’ 13 – Leilanni Nesbeth), 8 – Jameese Joseph (74’ 11 – Chardonnay Curran)

Unused substitutes: 19 – Mackenzie Wood (GK); 7 – Ava Cook, 16 – Manaka Hayashi, 18 – Justina Gaynor, 41 – Hannah Anderson

Interim head coach: Masaki Hemmi

Stats Summary

GFC / CHI

Expected Goals: 1.01 / 0.23

Shots: 14 / 4

Shots on Goal: 5 / 1

Saves: 1 / 5

Corner Kicks: 6 / 3

Fouls: 10 / 9

Offside: 2 / 3

Misconduct Summary:

Gotham FC

90’+3 – Jaelin Howell (Yellow Card - Reckless Offense)

Chicago Stars FC

90’ – Chardonnay Curran (Yellow Card – Dissent)

90’+2 – Leilanni Nesbeth (Yellow Card – Reckless Offense)

Officials

Referee: Adorae Monroy

Assistant Referee 1: Brian Marshall

Assistant Referee 2: A. Max Smith

4th Official: Stephen Foster

VAR: Shawn Tehini

AVAR: Zeno Cho