Early goals give Gotham FC the edge in 2-0 win over Chicago

Gotham FC delivered a controlled performance in their 2-0 win over the Chicago Stars on Wednesday night in Evanston, Illinois, claiming their third win of the season.

The NJ/NY side wasted little time in asserting themselves, earning an early breakthrough with a goal from rookie Jordynn Dudley in the first minute of the game.

A second goal from Rose Lavelle nine minutes later sealed the deal for the defending NWSL Champions, who are slowly starting to find their form after a less-than-stellar start to the season.

Following a win against the Boston Legacy to open up their season, the Bats went without a win in their next four games. Things started looking up in a dominant 3-0 win against Bay FC on Saturday, and a win like last night's will only serve to add to Gotham's momentum as they look to make in three in a row this coming Sunday.

Jordynn Dudley's emergence

Dudley was certainly having herself a night as she scored her first professional goal within 60 seconds of the opening whistle. As of now, her strike at 46 seconds into the game is the fastest scored goal this season as well as the second-fastest scored in Gotham history.

Dudley capitalized on a cross from forward Jaedyn Shaw that narrowly missed Esther González, surprising Chicago midfielder Tessa Dellarose with a run up the right flank to slot the ball into goal.

"We were doing a really good job circulating the ball and getting me on the ball out wide with time and space, which is what I want," Dudley said. "We did really good with that on the right side as well as the left, which is how we scored the second goal, too."

The rookie is enjoying the start to her professional career as she comes off her first professional assist against Bay FC on Saturday. Last night, the two-time NCAA champion found her stride dribbling past defenders in nearly every 1v1 she faced. She created an additional three chances following her goal, keeping up with the pace of the game while doing her part in contributing to a Gotham shot count that was more than double that of the hosts.

"Jordynn is growing from game to game," said lead assistant coach Shaun Harris. "If you look at her first game to now, she just keeps improving. Her speed, quick feet and ability to connect and combine. She knows what she’s good at. Now, it’s about getting into the right positions and having that patience."

A dream first half

Using the momentum from Dudley's goal, Gotham kept their attack locked in throughout the first ten minutes of the game, allowing Lavelle to notch a second goal for the Bats. The midfielder struck a clean right-footed shot past Chicago goalkeeper and captain Alyssa Naeher off a cross from Guro Reiten, with Reiten registering her first NWSL assist in her second appearance for Gotham.

"We talked about a fast start and the wide areas, going one-v-one and seeing where the space is and exploiting it," Reiten said. "We did that really well in the first half and scored two quick goals, which is exactly how you want to start a game."

Chicago struggled defensively in the opening 10 minutes, lacking the cohesiveness needed to hold a solid defensive line against the attacking Bats. Chicago forward Jenna Bike gave the Stars their first chance of the game following Lavelle's goal, but Ryan Gareis struck the shot over the crossbar.

Gotham dominated the first half after Gareis's mishit, with Dudley at the helm and holding back Dellarose for a majority of the first 45 minutes. González had a few chances to give Gotham an additional goal, but a widely-hit shot and another rattled off the post mitigated her efforts. Despite that, the Bats enjoyed a dominant first half.

"When you score as early as that, it really sets the tone for the rest of the game," Harris said. "[The team] executed that really well. We were really pleased with the first half, making runs, moving the ball, defensively making sure we limit the transitions."

Looking ahead

This Sunday, Gotham will host Racing Louisville FC, who will be looking for their second win of the season after a loss to the Washington Spirit yesterday evening. While Gotham is on an upwards trajectory after their own early-season struggles, they'll need to maintain the control and attacking precision on display in Illinois if they want to remain on track.

"There’s been a mentality shift," Harris said. "We weren’t pleased with the first five games, and it’s about how we shift that mindset. We know we’ve got the talent and the ability. It’s about being aggressive, doing everything early and not switching off."

The team has been working a lot in and around the box in the final third, Harris said, to practice moving the ball and getting into the positions needed to finish more often than not. It's a strategy that has been working, if the last two games are anything to go by, but the Bats will need to continue to create those chances.

"We’re starting to find our rhythm and our chemistry now," Harris said.