**HARRISON, N.J.** – Gotham FC and Racing Louisville FC dueled to a scoreless draw on Sunday night, with Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund making five crucial saves to keep Gotham at bay and help earn a point for the visitors. The draw also helps Louisville extend its unbeaten run to four straight games (W1 D3) while Gotham aims to solidify a spot in the NWSL Playoffs with more positive results in the coming weeks.
In the 9 ^th minute, Gotham got the attack going through defender Kelley O’Hara, who missed just wide with an opportunity after great buildup down the right side. Attacker Yazmeen Ryan was streaking down the right flank on the ball when she ran out of room approaching the endline. Making a move on a defender to create space, Ryan then slid a pass into the box for O’Hara, who was able to make good contact with her effort but saw it curl just wide of the far post in the end.
Gotham continued to press the Louisville goal and created a number of opportunities, mostly from the flanks, to threaten the visitors through the remainder of the first half. Yazmeen Ryan had a shot held by Katie Lund in the 27 ^th minute, a scramble near the goalmouth in the 37 ^th minute nearly saw the ball squeeze out and into the net as Louisville frantically cleared in the end, but perhaps the closest call came in the first minute of stoppage time through a Katie Lund misjudgment.
Lund had been on the ball right near her goalline when she received a back pass and did not distribute quickly enough amid a Gotham press. This led to Gotham winning the ball back high up in their attacking third, which ultimately saw forward Katie Stengel slipped in down the left side. Working the ball back onto her right foot, Stengel fired from about 12 yards out and rattled the inside of the near post with a powerful drive that almost saw the hosts find their breakthrough.
Into the second half, the two teams traded chances early as Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo had a shot blocked in the 48 ^th minute, Ryan had a shot on the other end in the 50 ^th minute palmed away by Lund, and then Lund made another great save in the 56 ^th minute again on Ryan. Almost ten minutes later, Ryan was then on the ball again when she broke into the box and fired low toward goal, but a sliding challenge from Louisville defender Julia Lester prevented the shot from reaching goal.
Louisville would have a couple more late opportunities to find of goal of their own, with forwards Thembi Kgatlana and Uchenna Kanu coming close in the 77 ^th and 92 ^nd minutes respectively, but the Gotham defense held tight and were able to see the match out as both teams preserved a clean sheet.
The result leaves Gotham in 4 ^th place with 26 points from 17 games played, while Racing Louisville FC is in 8 ^th place with 21 points from 17 games played.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights