Gotham FC earned their 100th regular-season victory in club history with a 3-1 win over the Utah Royals on Friday night, only the sixth NWSL team to achieve the milestone.
The Bats bounced back after a 2-0 loss to the San Diego Wave last week thanks to a brace by Esther González and a first-half goal from defender Tierna Davidson. Utah's Cece Delzer struck first to put the home team ahead, but a penalty drawn by Jordynn Dudley and converted by taken by González just three minutes later was enough to kickstart Gotham's comeback win.
Gotham also hit the woodwork twice in the first half, once on a first-time shot from Esther redirecting a perfect cross from Dudley in the 30th minute, then a few minutes later when Jaedyn Shaw rattled a shot off the crossbar. They put Utah under consistent pressure after falling behind early and took a lead they'd never relinquish right before halftime through Davidson's goal.
"We had the best chances that came out of our own work," said Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós. "They also had big chances, but some of them came from mistakes from us. So, the resilience and the commitment from everyone, it was outstanding. We've been on the road now for nine or 10 days, and today was a team win. Being able to celebrate the hundredth victory for the club is really another landmark."
Gotham FC: 2.35 xG, 12 shots, 5 shots on target, 54.6% possession, 346 passes, 79% pass accuracy, 10 fouls, 3 corners, 6 saves
Utah Royals FC: 2 xG, 12 shots, 7 shots on target, 45.4% possession, 285 passes, 72% pass accuracy, 12 fouls, 1 corners, 2 saves
Goals:
• Utah Royals, Cece Delzer, 23'
• Gotham FC, Esther González (PK), 26'
• Gotham FC, Tierna Davidson, 45 + 5'
• Gotham FC, Esther González, 70'
Attendance: 10,014
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Esther’s brace
Esther González is back at it again with a brace for her club. The Spaniard was eager to get the scoring underway and had a glorious chance in the first minute of the game, though she missed her shot at an open net, shooting over the crossbar following a mistake from Utah goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn.
She settled for a chance from the penalty spot instead, neatly slotting one past McGlynn for her third goal of the 2026 NWSL regular season.
González's second goal of the match came in the 70th minute, finishing off a smooth 13-pass sequence for Gotham by getting on the end of an angled, lofted pass forward from Sarah Schupansky, getting around the Utah defense, and putting Gotham solidly ahead 3-1 in the final 20 minutes of the match.
Brace yourselves... Esther González has done it again! 👏
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) July 10, 2026 at 11:50 PM
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"She's always someone that's going to give you 300%, and it doesn't matter the game, what we're playing for," Amorós said. "She wanted to score more goals...taking the responsibility again on that penalty, the same that against Kansas City got us back in the game, in a difficult moment, and then get her second goal was unbelievable."
González is, of course, no stranger to scoring. With 13 league goals scored last season, she was in a tight race for the NWSL Golden Boot before an injury sidelined her towards the end of the season. Last night's brace, the eighth of her career, is putting her firmly back into the game as one of Gotham’s leading scorers, although that might now change with the club's signing of Sam Kerr.
Her eight braces? Second only to Kerr and Megan Rapinoe. She now also ties Kerr's record as the Bats' all-time leading goal scorer with 28 goals and is one goal contribution away from tying Kerr for most goal contributions in the club’s history. We could possibly be witnessing the setup to a generational inter-club rivalry between the two as Kerr prepares to step back onto the pitch in Gotham colors.
"Esther is such a great human being, leader on and off the pitch, always
giving 200%," Amorós said. "For us, she's a key player and we're super happy to be able to celebrate those two goals from her."
Where Gotham stands
It’s been a joy to see Tierna Davidson take the captain’s armband and step back onto the pitch, but it’s been an even greater joy to bear witness to her impeccable finishing.
Gotham’s captain scored her second NWSL goal of the season and Gotham’s second goal of the match with Utah, finishing off Guro Reiten’s corner in first-half stoppage time. Davidson’s goal comes after she scored her first goal in 2,459 days in Seattle back on May 15.
This touch by Tierna Davidson 😮💨
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) July 10, 2026 at 11:17 PM
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Davidson's goal sent Utah to a second straight loss in what can only be considered a startling return to earth, as the Royals were on a 10-game unbeaten streak heading into the month-long summer break but have now lost back-to-back games. Gotham's win puts them ahead of Utah in the standings, with Gotham climbing to fourth place in the 16-team table thanks to their superior goal differential.
"We were lucky in the beginning and then worked ourselves into it," Guro Reiten said postmatch. "We also created a couple of big ones early on, but then showed the mentality to come back, getting the goals. It doesn't matter who scores or assists as long as someone does it."
It's safe to say the Bats successfully recalibrated after their loss in San Diego on July 4, and they're still in the process of adjusting to a new lineup following Lilly Reale's departure for Boston, plus Kerr's eventual return. It remains to be seen where exactly Kerr will fit within this Gotham squad, but the anticipation is building for her debut, set for later this week at The Queens Classic clash against the Washington Spirit at Citi Field.
The addition of the five-time Ballon d’Or nominee to the squad, as well as the now confirmed move to the newly-built Etihad Park in 2028, is putting Gotham on the map as the NWSL team to watch. While the attention is good, the squad will have to tune out the noise and maintain focus and produce more performances like the one in Utah if they're hoping to go back-to-back as league champions.
