Gotham Opens Season with 1-1 Draw Against Seattle

Courtesy: Gotham FC

In a rematch of the 2023 NWSL Championship, Gotham FC and Seattle Reign FC battled to a hard-fought 1-1 draw on a rainy Saturday night in Seattle. Goals from Brazilian newcomer Gabi Portilho and Seattle’s rising star Emeri Adames allowed both sides to walk away with a point in their season opener.

The matchup carried plenty of history, mainly their championship matchup two seasons ago. Gotham secured their first NWSL title at Seattle’s expense in 2023, but this offseason, the two clubs became even more intertwined when Gotham made the shocking decision to trade club legend Lynn Biyendolo to the Reign. However, fans hoping to see Biyendolo face her former team were left disappointed, as she was unavailable for this match.

Both sides came out with attacking intent in the first half, generating plenty of chances despite the slick conditions. Gotham’s Esther González had the best opportunity of the opening half, but her well-struck effort was comfortably handled by Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey. The Reign also threatened, with Jess Fishlock orchestrating attacks in midfield, but neither team could break the deadlock before halftime.

Just minutes into the second half, Gotham struck first. In the 47th minute, Gabi Portilho introduced herself with a beautiful goal following a corner kick. With that, she became the first Brazilian player to score in her NWSL debut and the ninth player in Gotham FC history to find the net in her team debut.

Courtesy: Gotham FC

Gotham appeared poised to close out the match and claim all three points, controlling possession and dictating the tempo. However, Seattle refused to back down. In the 70th minute, a quick counterattack led to chaos in the Gotham box, and after multiple deflections, 18-year-old Emeri Adames pounced on the loose ball to slot home the equalizer. 

Portilho wasn’t the only history maker in this game, however. In the closing minutes Gotham’s Mak Whitham entered the match, becoming the youngest player in NWSL regular season history at just 14 years old. The highly touted prospect’s debut added another layer of intrigue to an already memorable night.

With the draw, Gotham will now shift focus to their home opener next week, where they face the reigning NWSL champions, Orlando Pride. Meanwhile, Seattle will look to build momentum as they travel to North Carolina for a showdown with the Courage.