Gotham FC did not look like themselves in Sunday's quarterfinal match against the Chicago Red Stars. While some of club's players have prior experience in direct elimination games from their years on other NWSL teams, the organization has not been in the playoffs since the league's inaugural season in 2013. Perhaps it was for this reason that the team's performance fell flat.
A Stagnant Midfield Stunted Gotham
In the first 45 minutes, it truly seemed like this was a game destined for extra time, with both teams unable to get balls past each other's defense and goalkeepers.
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Although Gotham FC dominated ball possession for the entire game, they were unable to capitalize on any of their chances. Gotham also topped the Red Stars in pass accuracy, but struggled to move the ball forward. In fact, the team was only awarded one corner kick, emblematic of an attack that did not create many problems for their opponent.
The Chicago Red Stars did not have a particularly spectacular performance either, having only nine total shots taken compared to Gotham's seven. The game was quite slow for long periods, as the team tried unsuccessfully to move the ball through Chicago's tight midfield.
Midfielder Allie Long acknowledged after the game that Chicago's midfield was congested, making it difficult to move the ball through. "They overload, they try to keep you onto one side, which means they push all of their numbers centrally," she said.
Long was frustrated that Chicago made it difficult for her to get on the ball more. "The first half I felt ok, I think we were a little stagnant, but they made it really hard to play anything through the midfield. We needed to do a better job of getting it wide and being able to serve good balls across."
At halftime, coach Scott Parkinson tried to make adjustments, including getting Carli Lloyd a little bit closer to goal. "She was kind of sandwiched in between [Morgan] Gautraut and [Sarah] Woldmoe," Parkinson explained.
Parkinson felt the game opened up more in the second half, but Gotham was unable to get the ball in the back of the net. "Sadly, we just couldn't get that final ball in the box for a clean finish - Chicago defended fantastically," he said.
In fact, for much of the game, the Chicago defense was quite effective in shutting down the attacking trio of Carli Lloyd, flanked by Ifeoma Onumonu and Margaret Purce. Gotham FC was unsuccessful at pulling defenders out, making it difficult for them when they tried to cross the ball into Chicago's box.
One Moment Makes the Difference
The game was truly a tale of two halves, as both Gotham and Chicago managed to keep one another in check for most of the first half. In the second half, the game started to open up, but Gotham FC was unable to make anything of their chances. "The game was a little scrappy - it was a fight," Allie Long said. "In the first half, we played a bit better than in the second half."
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"In the first half specifically, we displayed the future of this team and what it could look like," Carli Lloyd said. This was Lloyd's final professional match of her career, and she was visibly emotional. "I don't think we created enough chances," she said.
Because Gotham was unable to create more chances, and unable to capitalize on the ones they did create, all it took was one bright moment from their opposition. "Mal [Pugh] finished a great shot and put the dagger in us," Lloyd said.
As Lloyd mentioned, the game's deciding goal would come from Mal Pugh of the Chicago Red Stars in the 61st minute. Pugh ran unopposed in the box from the left side, and received a pass from Sarah Woldmoe. Although goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan came out to try and cut off the angle, Pugh was able to shoot the ball past Sheridan and into goal at the far post. Gotham FC was completely caught out.
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"I think Chicago was great in transition and that's how they scored their goal, and what separated them from us today," Midfielder Allie Long said.
Why Gotham FC was unable to respond with 30 minutes remaining is something the team will have to explore for the next season. With the retirement of Carli Lloyd, the club can now focus on building their attack around their younger talent including Evelyne Viens, Margaret Purce, and Ifeoma Onumonu.
Although Gotham did make substitutions in the second half, including bringing on attacking power with Paige Monaghan and Evelyne Viens, the attack never really looked threatening to Chicago. The Red Stars took their time, allowing Gotham to possess the ball, and waited to take advantage of Gotham's mistakes.
Final Words from Gotham FC
After the game, head coach Scott Parkinson said he was proud of the team, but really disappointed with the result. "We probably didn't expect Chicago to be so pragmatic," Parkinson said. "It looked like they were waiting for that one mistake."
Unfortunately, this loss marks the end of Gotham FC's 2021 season, but the foundation truly seems to be in place for the club to become something truly special in the future.
"We are a club that's trending in the right direction," Parkinson said. "When you're trending in the right direction, it's not a straight path to the top. There are going to be dips, there are going to be highs, there are going to be neutral days, weeks. That's just the path of football and life."
Parkinson believes the club has had more neutrals and highs than lows since he has joined, but is hopeful about the future of the club. "That's our first loss in three in a half months. There's lots to be proud of," Parkinson said. "We just need to figure out where we need to be stronger."
Allie Long agreed that the future is bright for Gotham FC. "This team is going to be really special in the future," she said. Long believes the team will remember this feeling of losing, and use it as motivation for next year.
Despite the quick end to their postseason, the future does indeed seem bright for Gotham FC. Not only did the team make it to the playoffs for the first time in since 2013, but they also made it to the finals of this year's Challenge Cup, losing to a stacked Portland Thorns team in penalty kicks. This is a stark difference from a club that in 2018 came in last place, and in 2019 came in second to last. The team has much to be proud of, and the pieces seem to be in place for the organization to take it even further in the next season.
What's Next for NJ/NY?
If 2022 will be Gotham's year, we will have to wait until then to find out. In the meantime, the club will prepare for the upcoming expansion and college drafts, which may prove pivotal in deciding what pieces Gotham has to work with for the 2022 season.
Details on the upcoming drafts can be found at NWSLsoccer.com.
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