Team News: Hasbo Set for First Gotham FC Start

Danish international midfielder Josefine Hasbo has earned her first NWSL start for Gotham FC since joining the club earlier this summer.

The 23-year-old former collegiate All-American who has played in the European Championships and World Cup for Denmark represents one of three changes to coach Juan Carlos Amorós’s lineup ahead of tonight’s much-anticipated showdown with the reigning champion Orlando Pride. Defender Bruninha rejoins the starting group, making her eighth start of the NWSL campaign, while her fellow Brazilian, Geyse, also returns to the mix.

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET, with Amazon’s Prime Video carrying the national broadcast as its featured Friday night matchup.

Gotham FC (5-6-6, 21 points) enters the weekend tied for eighth place – the last playoff position – in the NWSL standings, just ahead of North Carolina on the goal differential tiebreaker. A win at Inter&Co Stadium would be a vital six-pointer for the visitors, who are seven points behind fourth-place Orlando in the standings.

Bruninha, Geyse and Hasbo enter the starting lineup with the hope of shaking Gotham FC out of its offensive struggles. The New York region outfit has scored twice in its four matches since returning from the NWSL summer break.

Geyse hopes to ignite an attack that features Spanish striker Esther González, tied for the league lead with 11 goals, and Brazilian winger Gabi Portilho. The trio last started together on April 26, when they harried the rival Washington Spirit into numerous defensive errors that led to a dominant 3-0 win at Audi Field and one of González’s club-record four braces this season.

The energetic Hasbo will work alongside U.S. Women’s National Team star Rose Lavelle and holding midfielder Jaelin Howell, who has played all but one minute in the 16 matches she’s featured in. The 30-year-old Lavelle, making her sixth start this season, is still looking for her breakthrough moment as one of the world’s most creative playmakers.

Bruninha adds flair and passing to Gotham’s back line, joining captain Jess Carter, Emily Sonnett and Lilly Reale in one of the NWSL’s best defensive units. Opponents have not attempted a shot on target in the first halves of three of the last four matches against Gotham.

That’s been a relief to German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who now has six solo shutouts and a joint seventh.

The substitutes bench features goalkeeper Shelby Hogan; defenders Kayla Duran and Mandy Freeman; midfielders Sofia Cook, Nealy Martin, Sarah Schupansky and Taryn Torres; and attackers Midge Purce and Katie Stengel.

Defender Tierna Davidson and forward Ella Stevens were previously listed as out through injury on the NWSL player availability report.

Gotham FC lineup at Orlando Pride

30 – Ann-Katrin Berger (GK)

3 – Bruninha

6 – Emily Sonnett

27 – Jess Carter (c)

4 – Lilly Reale

5 — Josefine Hasbo

7 – Jaelin Howell

16 – Rose Lavelle

18 – Gabi Portilho

9 – Esther González

10 – Geyse

Substitutes: 1 – Shelby Hogan (GK); 8 – Taryn Torres, 11 – Sarah Schupansky, 14 – Nealy Martin, 19 – Kayla Duran, 21 – Sofia Cook, 22 – Mandy Freeman, 23 – Midge Purce, 28 – Katie Stengel