Gotham FC Falls To Orlando Pride in Home Opener
- Best of Se7en Co
- Mar 23
- 1 min read
In a game where Gotham FC dominated the stat sheet, their crucial mistakes led to them falling 2-0 to the defending champions Orlando Pride.
From the opening whistle, the match took an unfortunate turn for Gotham. In the very first minute, Orlando earned a free kick, taken by women's soccer legend Marta. Initially the kick seemed to be harmless but turned disastrous when Gotham’s Lilly Reale miscleared the ball past her own goalkeeper, Ann-Katrin Berger, giving the Pride an early 1-0 lead. It was a brutal start for Reale, making her professional debut.
Gotham responded with attacking pressure, dominating possession and outshooting Orlando. However, they failed to translate this into goals.
In the 43rd minute, Orlando would strike again. A fast break put Brazilian midfielder Angelina in a one-on-one situation with Gotham’s Jess Carter. Carter tripped Angelina in the box, leading to a penalty. Marta stepped up and converted the kick, doubling Orlando’s lead and putting Gotham in an even deeper hole.
Gotham continued to control play in the second half, leading in possession and firing more shots on goal. Yet, their offensive efforts lacked the finishing touch needed to break through Orlando’s defense. The Pride stood firm, securing their second win of the season after a dominating 6-0 victory in their season opener against Chicago.
Gotham, still searching for their first victory, will now focus on a road matchup against the Houston Dash. Meanwhile, Orlando heads home to face the San Diego Wave, aiming to extend their perfect start.