Red Bull Arena | Harrison, New Jersey – Sunday, May 14 at 5:30 PM ET
Players to watch:
Gotham forward Lynn Williams scored her NWSL-leading sixth goal of the season in all competitions in Gotham’s win over Chicago on Saturday. The goal was Williams’ 103rd goal contribution in all NWSL competitions (72 goals, 31 assists), surpassing Sam Kerr (102) for the most in league history. Williams’s four regular season goals have her top the team’s scoring charts, though only two other names are listed alongside hers there – forward Midge Purce (2) and midfielder Jenna Nighswonger (1).
Orlando forward Adriana attempted four shots and created one chance for a teammate in Orlando’s win on Saturday, taking her totals to 20 shots and a league-leading 17 chances created this season. Only Sophia Smith (44 – 34 shots, 10 chances created) has recorded more direct shot involvements than Adriana this year. Helping Orlando to their second straight win last weekend was Adriana’s teammate, forward Messiah Bright, who scored her second goal in Orlando colors in the 1-0 win over Racing Louisville.
Match facts: Gotham FC sees the Orlando Pride come to Red Bull Arena on Sunday night, with both sides looking to build on respective wins the week prior. A rematch of week 3’s 2-0 win for Gotham, the hosts enter having beaten the Red Stars in Chicago, 2-1, while the visiting Pride enter off a second straight win, this time a 1-0 home win over Racing Louisville.
Gotham FC has 12 points through six matches this season (W4 L2), one behind its total from the entire 2022 season (W4 D1 L17). Gotham won its last home match, 1-0, over North Carolina and could win consecutive home league games for the first time since August 2017. Overall, Gotham has won three of its last four (L1) dating back a calendar month, but at home this year the side has won one and lost one (2-0, OL Reign) as it builds its case forward.
After opening the season with four straight defeats, Orlando has won two league games in a row with wins over San Diego and Racing Louisville. The Pride totaled four goals in those games after scoring just four total goals over their previous 10 league matches dating back to last season (D1 L9). The spark could be a sign of things to come from Orlando in the league, but having dropped their earlier home match against Gotham, 2-0, Orlando will need to come out a different side on the road where they have won one and lost two in three matches so far this season.
Gotham has won four of its last six matches against the Pride in all NWSL competitions (D1 L1), including a 2-0 win in Orlando on April 15. Gotham had won only four of the first 14 meetings between the sides (D4 L6) from Orlando’s entry into the league in 2016 through August 2021.
