Gotham FC and Washington Spirit played to a 0-0 tie Wednesday night at Subaru Park in Concacaf W Champions Cup Group B action. The two rivals played their third game at Subaru park in recent years and provided plenty of entertainment for the fans in attendance.
Gotham (3-1-0, 10 points) leads the group, but the Spirit (2-1-0, 7 points) are in second with one more game to play. Washington hosts Monterrey on the final matchday October 15th, and will advance with a win or draw. They could also top the group with a win due to a better goal differential (11-6) than Gotham.
The game also provided a homecoming for Williamstown, New Jersey’s Brittany Ratcliffe, who started wide right in the Washington Spirit midfield.
The teams opened the first quarter hour feeling their way into the game, with neither side giving away much in their back third. In the 7th minute, Ratcliffe broke free down the right and was able to find Sofia Cantore with a cross, but the striker’s header deflected up and gave the Gotham back line some trouble before they were able to clear the ball away.
In the 27th minute, the Spirit’s Gift Monday ran onto a lofted ball that beat the Gotham back line. Monday found space free to goal, but her low shot was saved by Gotham keeper Shelby Hogan from close range. Five minutes later, Gotham had their first chance. Striker Katie Stengel ran onto a loose ball after a tangling of legs which resulted in Spirit defender Tara McKeown going down, but Stengel’s shot missed high.
Minutes from the break, Ratcliffe had a half-chance deep in the Gotham penalty area after Heather Stainbrook’s pass met her cutting run behind the defense, but her wide-angled shot was corralled by Hogan.
At the end of the first half, Gotham applied some pressure with two quality chances. In the 45th minute, they had a great look at goal when a poor clearance fell nicely to Sofia Cook, but her shot was blocked over the bar. Seconds from the end, Stengel displayed a brilliant piece of skill after settling a ball from her chest from a lofted entry pass, but her half-volley buried into Spirit keeper Sandy MacIver’s arms.
The second half began with a flurry of activity from Gotham. In the 48th minute, Jaelin Howell found Stengel on the doorstep, but the striker redirected the low cross, forcing MacIver into a reaction save. Washington answered two minutes later when Ratcliffe’s cross bounced toward Cantore. The Italian international’s volley sent Hogan sprawling to the bottom corner with the save.
Several minutes later, Spirit central defender Kysha Sylla went down with what appeared to be a knee injury. While the Spirit were shorthanded, Gotham had the best chance of the game with Khyah Harper flying down the right, pulling out MacIver. The blocked shot fell to Cook, and her blocked shot bounced toward Josefine Hasbo, who’s shot hit the post and was cleared away.
After a the introduction of Bruninha and Jaedyn Shaw midway through the second half, Gotham received a lift attacking down the right side. In the 72nd minute, Shaw dribbled through several Spirit defenders, and several blocked crosses later, Hasbo had one teed up that she fired high.
Even with the late additions of Rose Lavelle and Midge Purce, Gotham couldn’t squeeze a winner.
Starting Lineups:
Gotham FC: 1-Hogan, 4-Reale, 5-Hasbro, 7-Howell, 11-Schupansky, 19-Duran, 21-Cook (Lavelle 79’), 22-Freeman (Bruninha 67’), 27-Carter (Sonnett 67’), 28-Stengel (Purce 79’), 34-Harper (Shaw 67’)
Unused Subs: Berger, Campbell, Whitham
Washington Spirit: 28-MacIver, 6-Weisner, 9-McKeown (Morgan 45’), 14-Carle (Abiodun 45’), 25-Sylla (Bernal 63’), 5-Miura, 17-Hershfelt (Santos 63’), 22-Stainbrook, 13-Ratcliffe, 21-Monday (Bethune 70’), 27-Cantore
Unused Subs: Bethune, Carle, Collins, Kingsbury, Kouassi, Rodman
