NWSL Roundup: Late goals lift NJ/NY Gotham over Red Stars

Lynn Williams scored from the penalty spot in the 87th minute and Esther Gonzalez added a goal in stoppage time as NJ/NY Gotham FC pulled out a 2-0 victory over the host Chicago Red Stars on Saturday at Bridgeview, Ill.

Gotham FC (15-4-5, 50 points) earned the opportunity from the spot after Ella Stevens was taken down from behind by the Red Stars' Cari Rocarro in the penalty area.

Ann-Katrin Berger made one save for Gotham FC, which clinched a top-four spot in the playoffs with the victory and a guaranteed home game in the postseason. It was Berger's eighth shutout to tie a franchise record.

Gotham FC, who already qualified for a playoff spot, moved into second place in the overall standings.

The loss denied the Red Stars a playoff berth, but they can still make their way into the postseason field of eight if Racing Louisville FC loses to the Washington Spirit on Sunday.

Alyssa Naeher made three saves for Chicago (10-12-2, 32 points), which has games remaining against the Spirit and Kansas City Current, both of whom have already qualified for the playoffs.

Williams' late-game goal, to the left of a diving Naeher, was her fourth of the season, all from the penalty spot. In an odd twist, Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amoros was given a red card after the Red Stars' foul and just before Williams scored the go-ahead goal.

Gonzalez gathered a cross from Jessica Silva in the penalty area late in second-half stoppage time to score past Naeher and seal the victory.

Angel City FC 1, Courage 1

Angel City's Christen Press scored her first NWSL goal in 28 months during second-half stoppage time, but Olivia Wingate of the North Carolina Courage answered three minutes later as the teams played to a 1-1 draw on Saturday night in Cary, N.C.

Press missed more than two years due to an ACL injury that required four surgeries. She injured her right knee in the second half on June 11, 2022, against Racing Louisville. She scored a goal in the 36th minute of that match.

On Saturday, the two-time United States World Cup champion drilled a left-footed shot to the left of North Carolina goalkeeper Casey Murphy in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time to give Angel City a 1-0 lead.

But moments later, the Courage won a scramble for the ball in the midfield and Denise O'Sullivan drilled a sharp pass upfield to Wingate. Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haracic came out in an attempt to cut off the angle, but Wingate easily drilled a right-footed shot into the left corner of the net. It was Wingate's second goal of the season.

The Courage (12-9-3, 39 points) reside in fifth place. Angel City (7-12-5) is in 10th place with 23 points, having recently been docked three points for a salary cap infraction.

--Field Level Media