3 things we learned from Gotham FC's 0-0 draw with the Houston Dash | OneFootball

In their third game of the season, NJ/NY Gotham FC were held scoreless for the second consecutive game in their 0-0 draw away to the Houston Dash. The Dash was an opponent the Bats beat in both of the teams' meetings last year by scores of 1-0 on the road and 2-1 at home.

Neither team generated much offense in this game with a combined three shots on target in the whole game with the first not coming until 68 minutes in. This result now sees Gotham FC with just two points from three fixtures, with one goal overall. On the flip side, Houston now has four points. While that is also where they stood after three games in 2024, this level of play feels somewhat sustainable for the Dash as they continue to look much improved on last season.

The main story of the match however was the injury to Gotham captain Tierna Davidson. In the 39th minute, Davidson suffered a non-contact injury after she jumped to block a cross and landed awkwardly on her left leg. She was down for some time but eventually got up and walked off of the field largely unassisted. She was then subbed off just before halftime and then seen walking on her own after the match with a brace on her left leg. The team subsequently put out a statement that said they will not have an update on her condition until they return to New Jersey.

Of course, there were a few positives to take away from this match. This might be a result that at the end of the season is looked upon more fondly than it is right now. Still, Gotham FC needs to figure out that final phase of the attack and start scoring more goals. Therefore, here are three things we learned from this match.

3 things we learned from Gotham's scoreless with the Houston Dash

3. Lilly Reale and Sarah Schupansky are ready to contribute

Teams never fully know how ready a rookie is when they first join a team. But if the first three games are anything to go by, Lilly Reale and Sarah Schupansky are more than ready to be key contributors to Gotham FC in 2025.

In the offseason, the team saw a lot of NWSL-proven players leave the club while only bringing in two players with NWSL experience. So, to have two of their five rookies look more than ready to make the jump from college to pro positively changes things and gives head coach Juan Carlos Amorós more options than expected.

Reale carried over her great performance from last week against Orlando to Friday night against Houston. She was strong on both sides of the ball leading both teams in tackles won and touches. Schupansky meanwhile had a more subdued performance against Houston than she had in the first two weeks, but was far from a liability and still was able to be a net positive in the attack.

2. Gotham FC is still figuring things out offensively

With just one goal through three games "still figuring things out" might be a bit of an understatement. This team went through a similar slow start at the beginning of last season as well with just one win and three goals through five games. While both last year's and this year's teams saw big offseason changes, the big difference is that this year's team got younger while last year saw an influx of experience. As mentioned earlier, Reale and Schupansky have quickly become important pieces. More experienced acquisitions like Gabi Portilho and Jaelin Howell have mostly played well, but there is still a lot of growth left for this team.

They are too passive, similar to how they played towards the beginning of last season. The results began to shift in their favor last season when they started playing more on the front foot, took the initiative, and dictated play instead of letting the opponent do so.

Fortunately, Gotham FC has an international break between now and their next match at home against the North Carolina Courage. Hopefully, the break allows for a bit of a reset and they go into the next portion of the season able to play a stronger attacking game.

1. Midge Purce and Rose Lavelle are needed ASAP for Gotham

Arguably Gotham FC's two biggest attacking threats, Midge Purce and Rose Lavelle, have missed the beginning of the season due to injury. Both are capable of not just scoring goals on their own but can create chances and opportunities for their teammates. It is not hard to imagine that both of these players provide exactly what this Gotham team is missing at this point which is being able to finish off attacking sequences.

No timetable on either player's return has been given, but don't be shocked if fans see the players, especially Purce, back sooner rather than later. Adding both of these players back into the fold will be crucial on the field. Plus, it could help Gotham FC with the vibes off the field as they are not only popular teammates but also having players like that in the fold tends to provide a moral boost.