3 things we learned as Gotham FC won again against the Utah Royals | OneFootball

NJ/NY Gotham FC stayed in the Western half of the United States on Friday when the Bats faced Utah Royals FC.  They dominated the series entering the game, and this result was no different.  The NJ/NY team won 3-1, securing three points before coming home for the big match at Citi Field on Wednesday.

Against the Royals, Esther González scored a brace while Tierna Davidson scored a rare goal.  And, since the home side scored first via a goal by former Gotham player Cece Delzer, the win was a comeback win.

While the ladies did not play terribly last week in the loss against San Diego Wave FC, they were still stronger in their play against the Royals.  As such, the question of whether Gotham can compete with a team above them in the standings was answered.  At the same time, they will still need to win a few more matches, and perhaps a win against the Washington Spirit in the Queens Classic.

Until then, here are three things we learned from Gotham FC’s win over Utah Royals FC.

The good times continue against the Royals

Since the Utah Royals rejoined the league in 2024, Gotham FC has not lost to the team.  Obviously, this continued after Friday night’s matchup, for the Bats won.  They now have four wins and a draw.  Yes, it is still a small sample size.  However, after the loss to San Diego last week, there was the possibility that the NJ/NY side could struggle against other teams in the top third of the table.

Remember, Utah is a stronger team this season, and they are night and day compared to the first two years.  In fact, statistically, the game was an even battle.  For example, Gotham led in possession, had more goals, won more duels, and had a better passing accuracy.  Then, the Royals had more shots on goal, clearances, and successful tackles.

The difference, though, was that the visiting team was better defensively.  Not only did the backline close down the home side in front of the goal, but Ann-Katrin Berger also had six saves.  As such, the three points were locked down.

Esther González finally played normally for Gotham FC

As mentioned, González scored a brace in the win.  The striker had been struggling this season, and she had not played at the level that Gotham fans know she can play.  She did that against Utah, for she only had two goals in the regular season entering the match.

At first, she scored via a penalty kick, which was not an issue for the Spanish international.  However, she really needed to prove that she could score from open play, and she did.  It was not the most impressive goal that González has scored.  However, she drove Mandy McGlynn out of the goal and put the ball into an open net.

The forward really needed a game like this, especially with Sam Kerr available to play on Wednesday.  González knows her starting spot is threatened by the newest signing.  Plus, she tied the club’s regular-season goal record on Friday, which means that Kerr could easily break it again.  So, the Spaniard knew what she had to do, and she was impressive in Utah.

Gotham FC fans should keep an eye on Midge Purce

One player who usually starts, pending she is healthy, is Midge Purce.  The forward has been with Gotham for a long time, and over the last few years, she has been signing one-year contracts.  This season, she has mainly started at right-back due to defensive injuries.  But now that Emily Sonnett and Tierna Davidson are fully healthy, she has not started since the team returned from the June break.

With that in mind, one can assume that Jordynn Dudley is ahead of her.  So, this is something to watch.  Purce is a star and beloved by Gotham FC fans.  Normally, they want her to remain with the club.  But for the first time, the team could possibly let her walk after this year, and if she continues not to start, then that might be the case.

However, when she came on the pitch in the second half, Purce had a good shift and was influential in the attack.  She might not be as consistent as she was in the past, but perhaps these few matches will force Purce to change her game to get back in the lineup for Gotham FC.