Gotham FC Ends West Coast Trip with Loss to Thorns

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NWSL NJ/NY Gotham FC

Gotham FC Ends West Coast Trip with Loss to Thorns

April 23, 2025 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
NJ/NY Gotham FC News Release


Gotham FC tied the game through Esther González after falling behind in the opening 10 minutes at Providence Park on Tuesday night, but the Portland Thorns pulled away to a 4-1 win with three second-half goals.

The loss snapped Gotham's 10-match road unbeaten streak stretching back to last season, setting up a bounce-back opportunity with Saturday's much-anticipated rematch of the 2024 NWSL semifinal against the Washington Spirit.

"It was a game where we know the second half wasn't good enough from us," said Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós. "... What I told the team is that we lost the battle tonight, but this is a long war. We're there together on this. I can only speak highly of how the players are committed to everything and going the extra mile."

The long run of success away from home for Gotham FC (2-2-2, 8 points) started Sept. 5, 2024, and included six wins and four draws across all competitions.

On Tuesday - in a rare midweek match scheduled because Gotham and Portland will play in the Concacaf W Champions Cup semifinals next month - Portland started fast, netting the go-ahead goal through Mimi Alidou in the seventh minute.

But Amorós's team responded quickly, with Gabi Portilho squaring a pass inside the 6-yard box to González, who scored her fifth goal in three matches to move into the lead for the NWSL Golden Boot. The Spanish striker is now tied for second in club history with 16 career goals at Gotham FC.

It was Portilho's second assist of this young season.

After hitting halftime all level, Portland (2-2-2, 8 points) moved back in front through 20-year-old forward Caiya Hanks, who scored in the 61st minute. Jayden Perry converted a penalty in the 73rd minute, and Deyna Castellanos added the fourth in the 80th.

Gotham FC quickly turns its attention to what's next: a budding rivalry with Washington. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET Saturday at Audi Field in the nation's capital, with the national broadcast on CBS.

Key Match Points

Gotham FC has now scored four first-half goals in six games.

Only Kansas City (9) and Orlando Pride (5) have scored more in the NWSL this season.

Gotham FC is unbeaten in 10 of its last 11 straight away matches across all competitions (W6, L1, D4).

Esther González's fifth goal of the season moved her past Washington's Ashley Hatch and into sole possession of the NWSL lead in goals scored.

Her 16 career regular-season goals tie Carli Lloyd and Midge Purce for second all-time for Gotham FC club history.

González has now attempted 20 shots this season, the joint-highest total in the NWSL alongside Barbra Banda.

Gabi Portilho recorded her second assist in the NWSL this season on Esther Gonzalez's goal, more than any other Gotham FC player through the first six games.

Emily Sonnett attempted 88 passes against Portland, the highest total for a Gotham FC player in the NWSL this season.

Gotham FC vs. Portland Thorns FC

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

10:30 p.m. ET kickoff

Providence Park, Portland, Oregon

Attendance: 15,373

Weather: 59 degrees, partly cloudy

Gotham FC (1, 0 - 1)

Portland Thorns FC (1, 3 - 4)

Scoring Summary:

Gotham FC

8' - Esther González (Gabi Portilho)

Portland Thorns FC

7' - Mimi Alidou (Caiya Hanks)

61' - Caiya Hanks (Sam Coffey)

73' - Jayden Perry (P)

80' - Deyna Castellanos

Gotham FC (4-3-3): 30 - Ann-Katrin Berger (GK); 14 - Nealy Martin (c) (74' 23 - Midge Puce), 27 - Jess Carter, 6 - Emily Sonnett, 4 - Lilly Reale; 8 - Taryn Torres (62' 10 - Geyse), 7 - Jaelin Howell, 11 - Sarah Schupansky; 3 - Bruninha (46' 13 - Ella Stevens), 9 - Esther González (84' 34 - Khyah Harper), 18 - Gabi Portilho (74' 20 - Jéssica Silva)

Unused substitutes: 33 - Michelle Betos (GK), 17 - Mak Whitham, 24 - Emerson Elgin, 90 - Stella Nyamekye

Head coach: Juan Carlos Amorós

Portland Thorns FC (4-3-3): 18 - Mackenzie Arnold (GK); 29 - Mallie McKenzie, 5 - Isabella Obaze (84' 34 - Daiane), 24 - Jayden Perry, 2 - Reyna Reyes; 17 - Sam Coffey (C), 21 - Jessie Fleming (63' 8 - Hina Sugita), 26 - Mimi Alidou (84' 14 - Sophie Hirst); 66 - Reilyn Turner (70' 13 - Olivia Moultrie), 10 - Deyna Castellanos, 7 - Caiya Hanks

Unused substitutes: 1 - Bella Bixby (GK); 16 - Sam Hiatt, 15 - Peyton Linnehan, 77 - Alexa Spaanstra, 19 - Pietra Tordin

Head coach: Rob Gale

Stats Summary

GFC / POR

Expected Goals: .87 / 2.15

Shots: 5 / 11

Shots on Goal: 3 / 8

Saves: 3 / 2

Corner Kicks: 5 / 3

Fouls: 13 / 15

Offside: 3 / 3

Misconduct Summary:

Gotham FC

51' - Taryn Torres (Yellow Card - Tactical Foul)

Portland Thorns FC

53' - Reyna Reyes (Yellow Card - Reckless Offense)

Officials

Referee: JC Griggs

Assistant Referee 1: Salma Perez

Assistant Referee 2: Bennett Savage

4th Official: Kelsey Harms

VAR: Katherine McCormick

AVAR: Brian Marshall

Key Quotes

HEAD COACH JUAN CARLOS AMORÓS

Overall thoughts on the game

Well, now again, we didn't start really well, obviously, with that goal against us very early, then we reacted. I think the first half, we did a very good job. Now, obviously, we got that goal back, straight away from us there with some of the stuff that we've been working on. And I think the first half we had it under control. Second half, they were better. They got that goal. I think we had a good chance ... and then we tried to come back until the penalty. And then they were better. So, congratulations to Portland. It was one of those games - all the second balls or technical mistakes ... They were better, so they won the game.

MIDFIELDER NEALY MARTIN

Overall thoughts on the loss tonight

Obviously, we didn't get the result or play the way we wanted to. I think the first half, we had some good moments and we didn't capitalize, but we can't play how we did [in] the second half and expect to win. We just move forward from here and keep building.

DEFENDER JESS CARTER

On the difference between the two halves...

I'm not really sure what happened at halftime for us to go out in the second half the way that we did. I think we lost pretty much every draw, and every first, second and third ball, which is not something that we do here at Gotham. There were a lot of things that happened in the second half that weren't to our standards. We just have to regroup and reset. [We need to] recover as quick as possible, and go again in a few days.

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