3 things we learned from Gotham FC's 2-1 win against Bay FC | OneFootball

On Saturday night, NJ/NY Gotham FC and Bay FC battled it out in New Jersey in an attempt to move up the NWSL table.  Before this weekend, the teams were in eighth and ninth place, respectively, and both had 15 points.  Thankfully for the Bats, they won 2-1 and secured their second win in a row after they were winless for four games.

Gotham FC’s performance was not the best by any means.  However, what matters is that they scored one more goal than Bay FC to earn the win.  They were down a goal as well, so the NJ/NY side had a comeback win to earn all three points.  Esther González scored the tying goal while Geyse scored the game-winner.

More importantly, the ladies will not enter the NWSL break with a loss haunting them until the next match.  Instead, they will return coming off a win.  There might be some concerns that the recent surge will disappear because they will not play a competitive fixture until August 1.  Alas, that is why it is important for the work to continue.

Until then, there is plenty to talk about regarding Gotham FC’s win against Bay FC.  Here are three things we learned from the game.

3 things we learned from Gotham FC’s 2-1 win

3. Esther González continues to lead the pack

González continues to shine for Gotham FC and so far is arguably the team’s MVP in 2025.  She scored again for the Bats, scoring her tenth goal of the NWSL season and 12th overall.

As such, she is still the leader in the Golden Boot race.  Barbra Banda and Temwa Chawinga are behind her with eight.  There were concerns that the Spaniard would go through one of her long droughts, where she would not score for a few months.  Thankfully, that did not happen, and now she has reached double-digit goals in June.

Gotham is lucky to have the striker on their team.  She has been vital in their wins, and hopefully, she will continue to score regularly so she can be awarded the Golden Boot at the end of the season.

2. Gotham FC still has work to do

The Bats might have earned three points, but they still have a lot of work to do when the second half of the season begins.  They are still in eighth place, and the North Carolina Courage is right behind them, with both teams having 18 points.

Additionally, second through ninth place is tight.  Only seven points separate the teams.  But Gotham FC would have needed two more wins or a win and a draw with a better goal differential to sit in the top four of the standings.

In other words, if the team wants to climb the table, then they must keep winning when the season resumes.

1. Gotham FC must win more at home

Before Saturday’s match, Gotham FC had only won once at home at Sports Illustrated Stadium in the NWSL.  Plus, they have three losses there this year, which is a major difference compared to 2024.  Last year, they lost just once at home and had a 9-1-3 record.

Therefore, not only does the team need to win more to climb the table, but they must make the stadium a fortress again.  Part of their success in 2024 was due to the fact they rarely lost at home.  It is vital that Gotham FC does not lose another game in New Jersey.