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Jeff Kassouf
Multiple Authors
FLUSHING, New York — Forward Sam Kerr made her return to Gotham FC and the National Women’s Soccer League on Wednesday, leading her team to a 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit with a brilliant goal from Rose Lavelle, in front of a crowd of 42,175 at Citi Field.
Kerr’s comeback to Gotham marks nearly ten years since she was named the 2017 NWSL MVP, coinciding with a significant milestone for the franchise.
“It felt a bit strange, honestly,” Kerr expressed to ESPN after the match. “Exciting and fun in front of a large crowd, but it was indeed a bit odd to be back, I can’t deny that.”
The sellout crowd at the home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets sets a new record for women’s sports attendance in New York City and is the second largest in NWSL history.
Kerr made an immediate impact in her first game with Gotham, having joined the team on a free transfer earlier this summer, officially registering on the roster with the opening of the NWSL transfer window on Monday.
She forced Spirit goalkeeper Sandy MacIver into a kick-save shortly after entering the match.
“It’s just as intense as it was back then,” Kerr remarked about the NWSL. “It’s nonstop action.”
Just two minutes later, Lavelle found Kerr with a pass that went through the legs of Spirit defender Esme Morgan, but Kerr held back from a challenge as MacIver rushed to clear the danger.
“Sam’s a world-class talent,” Lavelle praised Kerr. “Even in the 30 minutes we played together, it was thrilling to connect. She is a constant threat and a superb finisher, and I can’t wait to continue building our partnership.”
Lavelle’s winning goal echoed the result of last year’s NWSL Championship, where Gotham also triumphed over the Spirit with a 1-0 scoreline.
Kerr’s previous stint with the club, known as Sky Blue FC back in 2017, was followed by a six-year tenure at the English club Chelsea, where she played until 2019.
During her time with Sky Blue FC, Kerr earned the 2017 NWSL MVP and Golden Boot awards, netting a then-record 17 goals in a single season.
She has recently agreed to return to her former club on a contract lasting until 2030.
Wednesday’s matchup marked Gotham’s inaugural game within New York City limits, as they usually compete at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, which was unavailable due to the nearby Men’s World Cup final.
NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman commended Gotham’s controlling owner Carolyn Tisch Blodgett and her leadership for choosing Citi Field as the venue for this match.
Poor air quality loomed over the game, which began under a smoky, orange-brown sky as planes approached LaGuardia Airport nearby.
The match included two hydration breaks per half due to the subpar air quality caused by heat and smoke from wildfires in Canada.
This was the first occasion this season that an NWSL match required dual breaks in each half. The league has recently revised its extreme heat policy to streamline the protocol for interruptions.
Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amoros deemed the hydration breaks “essential” for player safety. In contrast, Spirit head coach Adrian Gonzalez and some of his players felt the frequent interruptions impeded the game’s rhythm.
“If we need a hydration break every 15 minutes, maybe we shouldn’t be playing,” Spirit forward Trinity Rodman commented. “It’s tough, considering there are 40,000 fans and the event atmosphere. It was a challenging situation for everyone involved.”
On Wednesday, New York City faced a heat advisory, with temperatures peaking at 99 degrees in Queens, with a heat index reaching 104 degrees.
The air quality index (AQI) in Queens was reported between 150 and 170 prior to the match, according to AirNow.gov, the resource the NWSL utilizes for air quality monitoring.
An AQI reading between 150 and 180 necessitates two hydration breaks, as per league regulations.