**HARRISON, N.J.** – Gotham FC defeated Portland Thorns FC, 2-1, in the first of two games across the league on Sunday night. The hosts Gotham relied on goals from Allie Long in the 20 ^th minute and Katie Stengel in the 56 ^th minute, while Portland’s goal via Hannah Betfort in the 62 ^nd minute proved a consolation.
Portland had its first opportunity of the night come in the 14 ^th minute as forward Morgan Weaver forced a point blank save out of Gotham goalkeeper Abby Smith with a rocket from just outside the box. An angled long ball had been sent into orbit with the chance eventually falling to Weaver just outside the penalty area, and as Smith came rushing forward, Weaver was able to get off a strong effort that cannoned off Smith and out of play for a corner kick.
Gotham grew more comfortable in the following minutes, though, and created back to back chances in the 21 ^st minute that stretched the Thorns to a breaking point. First up, attacker Midge Purce went on a dangerous run down the right side of the field, eventually working her way to the byline. Purce then cut a pass back that eventually ended up at the feet of a teammate and then out for a corner kick.
A few seconds later, that led to a ball out wide on the right flank for forward Jenna Nighswonger. Nighswonger took a touch to collect and then attempted to whip in a cross. However, her ball in took a massive deflection off a Portland player and eventually looped all the way to the edge of the goalline as it soared over Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby. Right on the line, midfielder Allie Long booted it into the back of the net to secure the game’s opening goal and send the hosts up at home.
Ten minutes later, Gotham then hit the post through loanee forward Katie Stengel, who is with Gotham on borrowed time for Women’s Super League side Liverpool FC. Stengel received a pass from Purce near the edge of the area and made her way in as it looked like she would sprint toward the box. Once inside, Stengel suddenly cut onto her right foot and curled a shot that ricocheted off a Gotham defender and was turned off the post before it was eventually cleared.
The half then ended with plenty of excitement as Purce came close again in the 37 ^th minute with Weaver coming close again herself in the 42 ^nd minute. Purce had gone on a surging run through the middle of the field before she broke into the box and ripped a low shot on goal. Bixby did well to get big and keep it out in the end, and Gotham’s opportunity went missing.
Then, on the other end, forward Christine Sinclair regained possession just inside her own half and played a long diagonal ball toward the left flank for Weaver to run onto. Arriving with an opportunity to shoot, Weaver tried to poke her shot past Smith only for Smith, like Bixby on the other end, to get big and deny the chance.
After a big save from Smith in the 51 ^st minute to preserve momentum, Gotham then added its final goal of the evening in the 56 ^th minute through Stengel. A chipped ball for Purce saw the forward produce an incredible looping header that nearly got over Bixby’s reach. However, the goalkeeper was able to get just enough on it to stop it from reaching the goalline, but she also put the ball right into Stengel’s path. From just a few yards out, Stengel then rolled the ball home to put her side two up.
Not allowing themselves to be down two for long though, Portland scored their goal in the 62 ^nd minute as defender Hannah Betfort oozed class with a precision finish to the bottom right corner with her right foot from the left side the box. Teammate Meghan Klingenberg had received a chipped ball forward when she knocked it down into Betfort’s path inside the box. Betfort then rolled one home past Smith to cut the deficit in half and give her team some hope.
However, in the half an hour that remained, neither team would come close to finding the back of the net as Gotham ended up extending its unbeaten streak to three games while the Thorns have dropped two straight. The result puts Gotham FC in 3 ^rd place with 25 points while Portland remains in 2 ^nd place with the same points from the same amount of games played but ahead on goal differential.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights