Your Seattle Reign were absolutely gutted, dropping a 3-2 defeat to Gotham FC at Icahn Stadium, but that scoreline barely tells the story of how devastating this one was. We were up by two goals, looking totally in control, and then Gotham ripped off three unanswered scores after the 81st minute to snatch victory right out from under us. It’s a tough one to swallow for Emerald City fans.
We Came Out Firing: Fishel and Mercado Had Us So Hyped
The squad came out blazing in the first half, making us believe big things were on the horizon. Mia Fishel opened the scoring in the 14th minute, burying a penalty after Maddie Mercado got taken down in the box. Then, just eight minutes later, Maddie Mercado doubled the lead in the 22nd minute, finishing a sweet low cross from Maddie Dahlien for her fourth goal of the season. We even had a second penalty chance in the 57th minute, but Dahlien’s shot unfortunately clipped the post. With subs like Nerilia Mondesir and Holly Ward coming in around the 69th minute, the early lead felt earned.
Then the Wheels Fell Off: Gotham’s Late Surge Was a Kick to the Gut
Gotham, though, started to take over as the match wore on, and the stats paint a brutal picture. They ended up with 71.5% possession and 18 total shots to our 8. Their expected goals were 2.31 to our 2.30, showing they were knocking on the door. Esther González pulled one back for Gotham in the 81st minute, and just when we thought we might hold on, she equalized in the 94th minute! The momentum was completely gone. Then, in the 97th minute, Rose Lavelle sealed the comeback, finishing a loose ball at the top of the box. Late substitutions like Jess Fishlock and Brittany Ratcliffe couldn’t stop the bleeding. Giving up three goals after the 81st minute? That’s just brutal for a Seattle side.
Now at 5-7-2 on the season, this stings deep. The squad needs to regroup fast, with their three-game road trip continuing against the San Diego Wave on Sunday, July 26. We need to see them bounce back from this, big time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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