Gotham FC vs Washington Spirit preview: A record-breaking night in Queens | OneFootball

NJ/NY Gotham FC is heading into the biggest match in club history on Wednesday night as they take on the Washington Spirit in the Queens Classic at Citi Field. The club is anticipating a sellout of over 41,000, and given the overall lack of other sporting events on Wednesday night, they could see the game become one of, if not the most-watched regular-season game, in NWSL history.

Gotham enters this game on the back of a 3-1 victory away to Utah Royals FC on Friday night. This win saw the club jump to fourth in the table. This match could also see the debuts of Gotham's two summer signings as well. Sam Kerr looks almost certain to play, most likely coming off the bench, after joining the club at the beginning of the month, while Denise O'Sullivan, who joined the club on Tuesday, could also make her debut.

The two teams are close, though, as Washington comes into this match second in the table, with even just a draw being enough to take them to the top on goal difference. They are currently on a three-match winning streak dating back to their last game before the league went on break in the month of June.

Even with all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding this game as an event, this is a pretty big game in regards to the standings. Washington is in second while Gotham is in fourth, with just three points separating the two teams. A win for either side will be huge when it comes to their chance of winning an NWSL Shield, something neither team has ever done. So, here is a preview of the match.

Gotham FC vs Washington Spirit preview

Date

The game will take place on Wednesday, June 15.

Time

The fixture is scheduled to kick off at 8:00 PM ET.

Location

The match will take place at Citi Field in Flushing, Queens, New York.

How to watch

The match will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, and streamed on ESPN+.

Weather

It will be another hot one as the expected temperature at kickoff will be 90 degrees. Temps won't drop much, with it only getting down to 87 by the end of the match. Humidity will be low, hovering around 40%, with winds around 10 mph and gusts getting as high as 20 mph. Cloud cover will be around 40% to start the match before sunset arrives at 8:25 PM, roughly 10-15 minutes after kickoff. There is a 5% chance of rain.

Injury report

Kayla Duran (knee - SEI) and Taryn Torres (knee - SEI) remain out for the Bats.

Players to watch

This feels like a game where the big-name players will shine. Two players who have featured prominently in the marketing for this match are Rose Lavelle of Gotham and Trinity Rodman of Washington. The two players who have plenty of experience playing in front of crowds of this size. Both should play huge roles in helping earn their teams the victory. As such, fans should pay attention to them.

Prediction

The prediction is a 1-1 draw with goals coming from Lavelle and Rodman. Both of these teams are pretty evenly matched, and given the stakes of this game, fans could see both sides play pretty conservatively and not want to give too much away. Also, Gotham FC and the Spirit have games in hand on the teams around them. Therefore, this may lead them to be more willing to take a draw from this match rather than risk potentially coming away with nothing.