**HARRISON, N.J.** – Gotham FC and the Orlando Pride dueled to a 1-1 draw in the final group stage game of the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup, meaning the draw cost Gotham FC a spot in the playoffs as the North Carolina Courage now win the East Division and earn the No. 3 seed in one of September’s semifinals. After Pride forward Messiah Bright opened the scoring in the 32 ^nd minute, a goal in the first minute of second half stoppage time through Meleana Shim helped Gotham pull one back but the side could not score in the final minutes to ultimately go in front.
The visitors Orlando looked the more likely of the two sides to score early on, beginning with a set of blocked shots in the 9 ^th minute following a Pride corner kick. Orlando had earned a corner when the subsequent delivery into the box eventually found its way to forward Julie Doyle. Doyle then had a shot blocked from near the penalty spot, and a follow-up effort by teammate Kerry Abello was also blocked with Gotham holding tight.
After a brief look for Gotham on the other end, Orlando broke forward once again on the left side as a through pass ignited an attack with the ball rolling toward the penalty area. Making the decision to come off her line, Gotham goalkeeper Mandy Haught did well to come off her line and absorb the through pass to cut off any light for the Pride.
However, that was short lived as Orlando refused to quit and eventually put the ball into the back of the net in the 32 ^nd minute as forward Messiah Bright put her stamp on the match. The Pride were moving ahead again down the left flank through Abello, and as she picked her head up to spot Bright sprinting into the box, she delivered a ball to the dead middle of the area. Continuing her run, Bright then got on the end of the pass and pushed the ball past Haught and in to open the scoring and score her first Challenge Cup goal.
Just before the break, Gotham had one more solid opportunity in front of the Orlando goal, this time through attacker Yazmeen Ryan. Ryan was on the ball just to the left of the center of the field and a few feet outside the penalty area when she opened up her body to ready a shot. Aiming for the top far corner, Ryan then curled a shot that forced Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to tip the effort over the bar to safety.
At the halftime break, though, Bright’s goal was enough to keep Orlando in front with the hosts Gotham not threatening as much as expected still needing to win to advance.
However, in the second half, Gotham’s energy and intensity picked up a bit with forward Katie Stengel threatening the Orlando goal just four minutes after the restart. Gotham forward Midge Purce collected a pass on the right side of the field and burst up field, eventually seeing Stengel in the box. Purce then whipped a high cross in that Stengel met with her head, but a well-directed headed effort was saved by Moorhouse.
Further drama ensued when Orlando put the ball in the back of the net right on the hour mark, seemingly doubling their advantage through Haley McCutcheon. As the Pride looked to score, a Gotham defender made a clearance that went directly off of McCutcheon and ended up in the goal. However, after review from the head official, the goal was waved off after the ball was judged to have illegally struck McCutcheon’s arm on the way in.
Still pressing for a goal, Gotham would finally break through as substitute Meleana Shim would find a goal in the first minute of stoppage time to give her side still a chance to advance. Shim was in the box on the left side when a Midge Purce cross somehow went over everyone else in the area and fell directly to Shim’s feet a few yards from goal. She then pushed an effort past Moorhouse to swing momentum in the hosts’ favor with a little time left.
However, outside of Orlando’s Ally Watt hitting the post with an angled effort in the 7 ^th minute of stoppage time, neither side would come close again to finding a second goal on the night and the pair would settle for a draw. Orlando, who was already out of contention before the night, earned one more point while Gotham’s playoff dreams were dashed, needing a win to move on.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights