Team News: Three Lineup Changes for Seattle Rematch

Jess Carter and Savannah McCaskill are back in the fold for Gotham FC’s quick-turnaround home match against Seattle Reign FC, while Mandy Freeman makes her first start of the regular season.

The three veterans make up the changes coach Juan Carlos Amorós implemented following Wednesday’s historic match at Citi Field, a 1-0 win over rival Washington in front of New York City attendance record crowd for a women’s sporting event.

Gotham FC and Seattle kick off at 12 p.m. ET at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in Manhattan. ABC will carry the national broadcast.

Gotham FC (8-3-3, 27 points) is level on points with Washington and Portland and tied for second place on the NWSL standings. A win today could move Gotham FC into first ahead of San Diego Wave FC (29 points).

To get there, Amorós will turn to a shifted grouping that inserts McCaskill into the midfield with Jaelin Howell and Sarah Schupansky, with Rose Lavelle expected to drift to the left and Jaedyn Shaw moving up front in place of Esther González. Midge Purce moves up the pitch to the right wing, replacing the injured Jordynn Dudley, who sustained a head injury against Washington and remains out.

It’s McCaskill’s 14th start in 15 appearances in her return season with the club. Another former Sky Blue standout — Sam Kerr — made the first appearance of her return to Gotham FC on Wednesday, coming off the bench for the match’s final 26 minutes. Kerr is only six minutes away from hitting the 10,000 regular season minutes mark.

Carter flanks center backs Tierna Davidson and Emily Sonnett in Gotham FC’s back four. Freeman makes up the final piece of the defensive quartet on the right side, making her 92nd regular season start and passing Erica Skroski for second-most in club history.

Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger makes her 14th regular season start for the club and seeks her ninth shutout, which would tie for second in single-season Gotham FC history.

Gotham FC’s bench includes goalkeeper Shelby Hogan; defender Bruninha; midfielders Sofia Cook and the club’s newest signing, Denise O’Sullivan; and forwards González, Kerr, Reiten, Khyah Harper and Andrea Kitahata.

Defender Kayla Duran (knee) and midfielder Taryn Torres (knee) are both on the season-ending injury list.

Gotham FC lineup vs. Seattle Reign FC

30 – Ann-Katrin Berger (GK)

22 – Mandy Freeman

6 – Emily Sonnett

15 – Tierna Davidson ©

27 – Jess Carter

7 – Jaelin Howell

13 – Savannah McCaskill

11 – Sarah Schupansky

23 – Midge Purce

10 – Jaedyn Shaw

16 – Rose Lavelle

Substitutes: 1 – Shelby Hogan (GK), 3 – Bruninha, 5 – Denise O’Sullivan, 9 – Esther González, 18 – Guro Reiten, 20 – Sam Kerr, 21 – Sofia Cook, 24 – Andrea Kitahata, 34 – Khyah Harper