HARRISON, NJ (Saturday, October 5, 2024) - NJ/NY Gotham FC had its biggest offensive showing yet this NWSL season, defeating Bay FC 5-1 at Red Bull Arena on Saturday night. Forward Esther recorded a brace in three minutes, with goals also coming from defender Jenna Nighswonger and midfielder Rose Lavelle.
In the eighth minute of the match, Gotham FC was awarded a penalty kick after a Bay FC handball inside the box. Nighswonger stepped up for the shot and hit it off the near post and in for the first goal.
Bay FC leveled the score in the 18th minute with a goal from forward Asisat Oshoala.
Gotham FC reclaimed the lead in the 70th minute. On a pinpoint ball across the box from forward Ella Stevens, she found an open Rose Lavelle who headed it into the back of the net for the 2-1 lead.
Just two minutes later, the club struck again. From a corner kick, Lavelle found defender Emily Sonnett who headed a pass in for Esther who also headed the ball into the goal for the team’s third goal of the match.
Gotham FC found its fourth goal in the 74th minute, scoring three times in five minutes. It was Esther who scored again off a deflection, making the score 4-1.
In the 84th minute, Gotham FC made the score 5-1. On a deflected shot from Lavelle, the ball found the feet of an open Cece Kizer in front of goal. Kizer buried the ball in an open goal.
Gotham FC will travel to Chicago on Saturday, Oct. 12 to face the Red Stars at 4 p.m. ET. Fans can catch the game on MSGN and Paramount+.
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KEY NOTES
QUOTES
Head Coach Juan Carlos Amorós
What went right for the team today offensively…
The praise needs to go to the players. They work incredibly hard all year and all season to get to this point. This week was incredibly hard for us. We landed from Jamaica less than 48 hours ago, it was a big ask to ask them to go out there and compete against such a good team. Bay FC is a great team. The first 11 that started, they made sure that the game was there for us to be won at the end for people coming off the bench, which is always something that we emphasize. I know it's difficult because when you're on the bench. Today they were outstanding Mandy [Freeman], Sam [Hiatt], and Cece [Kizer]. They came in and they held the team up, and they changed the game. They defended the attack, and together with the other 11, they were able to put up an amazing performance as a team. It was really difficult to play against a great Bay FC team. I think our situation is that we've not been effective in front of the goal and today we were.
On Cece’s first goal with Gotham FC and what she has brought to the team…
We know she's had a difficult year. She's an amazing player. She's good technically, she's quick. She's right-footed, left-footed, she's good on one, and she can hold her play. Those kinds of players are very important for us, because we want to be an unpredictable team, and she's an unpredictable player. She’s obviously she’s still progressing now, she wasn't playing 90 minutes regularly for Houston Dash. Her physical state is still in development, but she's adding a lot to the team. Today adding a goalwas really important, and we need every single one of them to be where we are and to achieve what we want to achieve. She's definitely showing the kind of play she scored today, so I'm very happy with her.
Forward Cece Kizer
On scoring her first goal for Gotham FC tonight..
Such a rewarding feeling, obviously to put the ball in the back of the net. It's been a long year, a long journey to get here. I'm grateful to be here, grateful for the talent that's around me, and this organization as well for taking a chance on me. So yeah, the goal was amazing. It's an incredible feeling. And hit that celly, you know.
On the frequency of games recently…
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you can always look at it as like more games on your schedule makes for tired legs and tired bodies. But I think with Gotham, having such a professional organization bringing in so many players that they truly believe in and can really rely on game in and game game out. I think you can see that anybody can step on the field. And you're gonna see the same standard and the same performances, every single week.
Midfielder Yazmeen Ryan
On making the NWSL’s Best XI of the month…
I think I'm doing pretty well. And then on top of that, because our team is doing so well, that's the reason why I'm able to get recognized. And I'm super grateful and honored and really really happy that I was able to get recognized for September. But yeah, I mean, the team doing what the team does best is why players are able to get recognized.
On scoring a hat trick in her last game…
Really cool. I haven't scored a hat trick in a while honestly for a game. So I was super pumped about that. And then, yes, being able to score that many goals, I think that really set us up for this game and really put us into a flow, I think of just being ruthless. So yeah, it was. Actually, it was really cool. I was really happy.
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