No. 1 Gotham has the Shield in its sights, but the shorthanded Bats will first have to fly past No. 3 Portland in this weekend’s Gotham vs Thorns NWSL clash.
Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle (head) will sit out tonight’s match. A first-half collision saw her exit Sunday’s 0-0 draw with No. 9 Angel City.
“She’s going through the testing, but she’s in the concussion protocol, so she won’t be available,” said Gotham acting manager Shaun Harris.
Gotham sits atop the NWSL table on a nine-game unbeaten streak. The Thorns subsequently carry their own three-game winning streak, despite losing star Olivia Moultrie to a season-ending ACL tear.
Bolstered by Sophia Wilson and Pietra Tordin, Portland ranks third in goals scored. However, the Thorns meet their match in the Bats’ league-best defense.
“It’s about making sure we can control the game from early, establish good positions and good possession, and try to dominate as much as we can on the ball,” said Harris.
Gotham takes on Portland tonight at 8 PM ET (Prime).
