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NJ/NY Gotham FC faces disappointing loss against Portland Thorns

July 19, 2022

For the first matchup between the two teams this season, NJ/NY Gotham FC faced off against the Portland Thorns at Providence Park. Gotham lost 5-0, their most significant loss so far.

Coming into the matchup, Gotham won their last match against Racing Louisville, 2-1, after being scoreless in their previous three games. To go from such a high to such a low raises some concerns about the team overall.

Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris had a challenging game letting in five goals and having only five saves. Some defensive errors contributed to the goals, making life a lot harder for Harris in the back.

On a brighter note, defender Ali Krieger made her 150th appearance in the NWSL. Only a few players have achieved this, so it's a significant accomplishment for the veteran.

150 NWSL appearances for @alikrieger 🤯

Congratulations to one of the greats on an incredible career milestone. pic.twitter.com/Nr1eFeMCG7

— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) July 17, 2022

Highlights

The first goal came in the 5th minute from Taylor Porter. After a corner came in, she slotted the ball past Harris giving the home side the lead. Two minutes later, young star Olivia Moultrie shot a rocket to the top corner of the net, giving Harris little chance at the save. Portland increased its lead by two.

Four minutes later, Portland scored once again. After the ball was crossed in, Marissa Everett shot the ball right into the back of the net. Poor defensive coverage led to this goal when Krieger did not have a good mark on Everett.

After halftime, Portland came back to score two more goals. In the 65th minute, Hannah Betfort headed the ball into the back of the net after a cross came in from Madison Pogarch. At this time, Gotham looked completely defeated, and Harris especially was not happy with the current scoreline.

For the final goal of the game, Morgan Weaver scored. Harris tried playing the ball out of the back to Mandy Freeman but played it too far in front where Weaver was lurking, and she took a one-touch shot into the wide-open net to finish the game.

Defensive errors were present throughout the match, as was the lack of offensive presence.

What's Up Next for NJ/NY Gotham FC?

After the midseason break, Gotham FC returns to Red Bull Arena to face off against the Houston Dash on July 31st. You can purchase tickets on Gotham's website or watch the game on Paramount+.