3 things we learned from the poor draw between Gotham FC and North Carolina | OneFootball

On Saturday, NJ/NY Gotham FC hosted the North Carolina Courage in their home opener for the 2026 NWSL season.  It was a day full of celebration because not only was the team home, but the ladies lifted the NWSL Championship banner and received their rings.  Of course, there was a game, and while it was not ideal, both teams ended with a point after the 0-0 draw.

Now, truth be told, the Gotham FC players were a little more exciting in the attack in the first half.  The lone shot on target came in the second half, but there was so much promising play with Katie Lampson, Jordynn Dudley, Esther González, and Rose Lavelle.  They put constant pressure on North Carolina, and it felt like a goal was on the way.

Alas, that was not the case, and thankfully, the defense was spot on.  Ann-Katrin Berger had three saves on the night and showed off her athleticism.  She was not afraid to come off her line, and some of her catches and clearances were just as vital as the saves.  She was especially busier in the second half, and there were some worrisome moments.  Thankfully, she earned the clean sheet, but a 0-0 draw is not ideal to start.

When all is said and done, there is a lot to talk about after the game.  Here are three things we learned from Gotham FC’s draw with North Carolina.

Gotham FC needs to win at home

As mentioned, it was not the ideal result for the Bats.  A 0-0 draw at home, especially in the home opener, is not what fans want to spend their hard-earned money to see.  It would be different if this was a comeback draw, or if Gotham FC was defending and outplayed by the Courage for the entire match.  But that was not the case.

More importantly, it was vital to start the home matches with a win.  Gotham FC went 4-5-5 at home during the regular season in 2025.  Sports Illustrated Stadium should be a fortress, and the NJ/NY side should have won more games.  The roster was good enough that they should have done so, and the same argument can be made for 2026.

In fact, it was predicted that the Bats would be better at home, and this result is not a good start.  Plus, with two more games in the upcoming week, it puts even more pressure on Gotham.  Wins are needed, and they are needed as soon as possible.

Welcome back, Tierna Davidson

Last year, when Tierna Davidson tore her ACL, there were concerns about the defense.  However, the backline was still one of the best in the NWSL, which was important during the postseason.  But Davidson was still missed, and will make the defense better.

So, it was fantastic to see the center-back return to Gotham when she came on as a substitute in the 60th minute. She missed almost a year due to her ACL, and it was clear she missed the game just as much as the fans missed her.  And she did decently well in her return, helping the backline keep the Courage out of the back of the net.

One should assume that Davidson’s minutes will be limited over the next few weeks, but the defender will hopefully be back to her best self later on in the season.

Gotham FC’s third kit is still awful

During the draw, Gotham wore the third kit for the first time since it was revealed.  The jersey itself is extremely bad despite the good idea of what the club wanted to convey through the design.  Alas, when jerseys are worn in games, sometimes opinions can change.

In this case, from watching on TV, the kit actually looked worse.  The design was still dizzying, and it looked like the ladies were wearing a face on the shirt rather than the Statue of Liberty.  As such, Gotham FC’s Lady Liberty kit is still not a good one, and hopefully, it will not be worn too often throughout the year.