In the humid heat of Houston, Gotham FC walked away with a 1-1 draw after a late goal from forward Ifeoma Onumonu.
Despite a promising showing from both teams in the first half, neither was able to capitalize on their chances. In the 37th minute, forward Midge Purce would come out with an injury making way for Delanie Sheehan, who recently signed with the club as a National Team Replacement player.
Although Gotham FC started off the game strong, it would be the Houston Dash getting the first goal of the evening coming from a corner kick in the 51st minute. The goal would be scored by Gabby Seiler who expertly placed the ball in the top corner of the goal.
Immediately following Houston's goal, Gotham FC would attempt to equalize, only to receive a controversial offside call on team captain McCall Zerboni. Defender Caprice Dydasco would successfully take on two defenders, passing the ball to Onumonu who would take the shot. Zerboni did not touch the ball but was in an offside position when the shot was taken.
In the 89th minute, following an amazing assist from the first half sub Delanie Sheehan, Ifeoma Onumonu was able to slot through the tying goal, earning Gotham an important road point and extending their unbeaten streak to 8 games.
The heat and humidity was an opponent for both teams on Sunday, but Gotham controlled the game for long stretches, holding 57% of possession. The team also managed to best the Dash in pass accuracy with 85% compared to the Dash at 77%.
After the game, goal scorer Ifeoma Onumonu noted that Gotham had good chances, but needed to be more clinical in their finishing. She said the heat and humidity added an extra mental component and made the game harder for both teams.
Head Coach Freya Coombe echoed Onumonu's sentiments, noting that while the team "started brightly," the conditions were tough. She described the team as "unbelievable," pointing to an influential bench as well as the leadership from team captain McCall Zerboni.
Up Next For Gotham FC
With this single point earned on the road, Gotham FC maintains second place in league standings with a game in hand just behind the Portland Thorns. The team will return home to Red Bull Arena to play the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, August 7 at 7pm ET.
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