Gotham beats Houston for their 5th win in a 6-game unbeaten run
By Noah Zimmerman
noah@queensledger.com
HOUSTON, TX – It’s been a tumultuous Summer for Gotham, but despite all adversity they have climbed to the top of the NWSL.
Gotham bid a heartbreaking farewell to club legend Esther González (departing for personal reasons), saw Emily Sonnet’s season end due to a patella rupture, and transferred Khyah Harper to Houston.
Even with the roster shakeups, the Bats have gone rabid for the last month, dropping just two points since their last league loss – July 4th against San Diego. Their mid-summer run featured wins against top-three teams (1-0 in the Queens Classic against Washington and 3-1 on the road in Utah) and a draw on the road against Portland.
Sam Kerr finally scored her first goal back in the NWSL after her 6-year stint in England. After missing a penalty in the first half, Kerr came through just one minute into the 2nd. After a through ball slipped through to Guro Reiten on the left side, Kerr redirected a dangerous centering ball into the far corner.
In goal for the Bats, Shelby Hogan put on a fantastic performance. In her third appearance this season, the Gotham backup goalie recorded her third clean sheet. She saw six shots on goal against Houston, making some phenomenal stops while the game was level and to preserve the narrow lead.
The goalkeeping duo of Hogan and Katrin Ann-Berger has been a big part of Gotham’s league-best defense. They’ve only conceded 12 times in league play this year, keeping 11 clean sheets – plus another in their NWSL Challenge Cup triumph over Kansas City.
