Week 18 recap: Getting their groove back

Gotham FC are at the top of the table for the first time since May 2023 after a 1-0 away win in Houston to cap off a three-game, one-week road stretch for the Bats. Striker Sam Kerr missed a penalty opportunity in the first half and made up for it in the first minute of the second half as she combined with longtime teammate Guro Reiten to put Gotham on the scoresheet. 

This game wasn’t without its gripes — acting head coach Shaun Harris mentioned that the team “would ideally like to have a few more goals leading in towards the end of the game” and Reiten mentioned that her “crosses haven’t been great” (we’re not quite sure she’s living in the same world that we are) — but at the end of the day this felt like a quintessential Gotham performance from a team that has suffered so many setbacks during this long week. What made it feel that way?

Offensive pressure

Although the Bats didn’t attempt their first shot until the 14th minute of the game — largely due to having to spend their time breaking through Houston’s pressure — they became relentless once that dam broke. Gotham was responsible for eight of the ten shots between the 14th and 54th minutes of the game and tilted the field 87-13 in their favor until the Bats finally got their goal. 

Although Gotham didn’t end up with more than one goal to show for it on the scoreline, the attacking pressure they put on the Dash was a key component of this game going the way they wanted. The more time they spent in their attacking third, the less time the Dash could spend in their own. Similarly, the more time they spent on the ball, the more time the Dash spent chasing the ball and running out of energy. How did Gotham manage to manufacture this relentless pressure and keep the Dash on their toes?

Individual brilliance

Gotham’s second shot of the game was one of two “big chances” that Opta registered for the club in this match. 

Here, Rose Lavelle’s tenacity and skill to win the ball back from the Dash and create a dangerous cross straight to Jordynn Dudley’s head is the exact kind of play that a) is likely to result in a goal and b) will rattle Houston’s back line. So it was a good way for the Bats to set the tone.

Speaking of Lavelle, some great moments of ball progression to the final third came from sick moves from the attacking midfielder.

And speaking of Dudley, her own individual brilliance is what earned the Bats their second “big chance.”

Unfortunately, we know what ended up happening there.

Isolated moments of skill from specific players definitely didn’t hurt the Bats’ chances, but what really helped sustain the pressure was their ability to see the right spaces to play into.

Playing into space

This moment from the 32nd minute of the game is just one example of how Gotham’s attack did an excellent job of anticipating each other’s movements and being on the same page about where to play the ball next. Jaedyn Shaw and Jordynn Dudley are on the same page about the latter’s run along the right channel, Dudley and Rose Lavelle are on the same page about the space Lavelle has to receive the ball centrally, and Lavelle and Shaw are on the same page about the space Shaw has to run into inside of the box. 

Even players who aren’t ordinarily a part of the interplay up top were finding ways to get involved. Jaelin Howell has a quick give-and-go with Dudley, who saw her run a lot better than the Dash defense. Howell’s ensuing cross led to one of the Bats’ best chances of the night.

The Bats’ persistence paid off when they were rewarded with their goal in the opening minute of the second half.

Dudley’s pass to Lavelle isn’t perfect, but she does well enough for the attacking midfielder to be able to hold onto the ball. Lavelle and Guro Reiten both notice the same space for Reiten to run into, and although Dash forward Kat Rader is able to get a touch on it, the ball still falls for the Gotham defender. Reiten has a one-touch cross to longtime teammate Sam Kerr, who has a sneaky one-time finish into the far post, the ultimate example of catching the Dash defense off-guard.  

Control over the game

At this point, the Bats had an entire half of football to play and preserve their lead, and their tactics had tired the Dash out at least a little. What did they do going forward to make sure that lead stayed intact?

Phase 1: Sustained attacking pressure

The Bats still wanted to wear their opponents out a little more, so they spent the next 10 or so minutes keeping their attacking pressure up.

Gotham allowed Houston just one touch in the attacking third in those few minutes following the goal, creating 2 shots worth a total of 0.30 xG and 0.13 PSxG.

Phase 2: Controlled chaos

It wasn’t until the 55th minute of the game until the Bats finally let up and allowed the Dash a chance to breathe. After the goal and the subsequent period of high pressure, Houston created six shots while only allowing Gotham one. However, these six shots only amounted to 0.20 xG, hardly posing a threat to the Bats. Furthermore, Gotham still had higher possession, controlling the ball 53% of the time in this final phase of the game. 

While the Dash were finally given the chance to progress the ball themselves, the Bats made sure that they didn’t make much of it.

No team is perfect, however, and three of the Dash’s shots in this period (and three from the first half) still made it on target. What prevented them from turning into goals?

Goalkeeping heroics

We’d be remiss not to mention the role that goalkeeper Shelby Hogan played in this match. Stepping in for the team in between the sticks for the third time this season and for the second time in a row (according to acting head coach Shaun Harris, regular starting keeper Ann-Katrin Berger “just needed a rest”), Hogan established herself as a key contributor to Gotham’s victory with her saves in this match. The Dash managed 1.55 PSxG in this game and scored 0 goals — all of that is attributable to Hogan’s saves. Here are some of her best ones.

Save 1: 13’, 0.14 PSxG

Hogan did such a good job here that she even fooled the commentators into thinking that she didn’t do a thing. She just barely gets a touch on a powerful shot from Houston rookie Kat Rader and prevents it from ending up in the back of the net and prevents Gotham from having an early deficit to overcome.

Save 2: 80’, 0.21 PSxG

Hogan’s heroics here are what got her nominated for NWSL Save of the Week as she dives to save Sophie Schmidt’s late shot and preserve the Bats’ lead.

Save 3: 90+6’,0.09 PSxG

That lead is challenged once again in the dying minutes again, but Hogan once again comes up big to make sure the Bats walk away with all three points. Teammate Savannah McCaskill was full of praise for this save, noting that “that last save in the last two or three minutes was top, top class, and so we’re just really proud of her and shows how great of a goalkeeper she is.”

Aside from making big saves, Hogan was a much more comfortable contributor to the back line in this game than she was during Wednesday’s match against Bay FC. Her communication and chemistry with the rest of the team looked very impressive for a player who has had such limited gametime minutes to practice that. 

Gotham put together a full 90-minute performance in this game even during difficult conditions at the end of a long week on the road. They were able to impose their own style of play on this game despite all of the obstacles working against them, so new spot at the top of the table is certainly well earned.

Looking ahead to next match

Gotham FC is back at home this week as the team takes on the San Diego Wave on Friday, August 7th at 8 PM. The Bats return to Sports Illustrated Stadium for the first time since May, and the game will be streamed nationally on Prime Video. The Wave currently sit in fourth place in standings, five points behind Gotham, with 10 wins, two draws, and six losses to their name. The last time these two teams faced off at the beginning of July, the Wave came away with the full three points after scoring two unanswered goals. 

San Diego is currently riding high after a 1-0 away victory against former table-toppers Washington Spirit, with a goal from prolific rookie Lia Godfrey making the difference. The Wave have many other scary attackers in addition to Godfrey, including Trinity Byars, Melanie Barcenas (who scored the opener against the Bats last time), and Ludmila, as well as prolific creators like Gia Corley, Kimmi Ascanio, and Kenza Dali. Gotham will need to stay compact defensively even without Emily Sonnett’s experience and expertise to have a chance of keeping the Wave’s attack at bay.