The 2021 NJ/NY Gotham FC season was the team's 12th season as a professional women's soccer team and their ninth season as a member of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. It is the first season following the club's change of name from Sky Blue FC, which it played under from 2007 to 2020.
On May 2, Gotham qualified for the final of the NWSL Challenge Cup, marking the club's first appearance in a final since the 2009 Women's Professional Soccer playoffs. However, following a 1–1 draw with the Portland Thorns, Gotham were defeated 6–5 on penalties in the final.
On August 22, it was announced that head coach Freya Coombe would be taking over Angel City FC for the 2022 National Women's Soccer League season. Although initially slated to remain in her post for the remainder of the season, following concerns about possible conflicts of interest Coombe stepped down on August 29, with her final match in charge being a 1–0 defeat to the Orlando Pride on that day. Scott Parkinson was subsequently announced as Coombe's successor on August 31. On October 30, Gotham qualified for the NWSL playoffs for the first time since 2013, but were subsequently eliminated in the first round by the Chicago Red Stars.
Team First-team roster
NameNationalityPosition(s)Date of birth (age)Signed fromNotesGoalkeepers1Kailen SheridanGK Clemson Tigers13DiDi HaracicGK Washington Spirit21Mandy McGlynnGK Virginia Cavaliers35Megan HinzGK Chicago Red StarsDefenders3Caprice DydascoRB/LB Washington Spirit8Erica SkroskiCB/LB Rutgers Scarlet Knights12Gina LewandowskiCB Bayern Munich15Sabrina FloresRB/LB Sevilla22Mandy FreemanCB USC Trojans24Estelle JohnsonCB Washington Spirit28Imani DorseyLB/LW Duke Blue DevilsMidfielders2Brianna PintoCM University of North Carolina5Nicole BaxterDM/CM/AM Asarums IF6Jennifer CudjoeCM/AM Racing Louisville7McCall Zerboni (captain)CM/AM North Carolina Courage9Nahomi KawasumiLW/AM/FW OL Reign11Lee So-damCM Hyundai Steel Red Angels14Kenie WrightDM/CB/RB/LB Rutgers Scarlet Knights16Allie LongCM OL Reign17Domi RichardsonDM/CM/CBFree agent18Delanie SheehanCM/RB UCLA19Elizabeth EddyCM/AM/RW/LB North Carolina Courage27Gaëtane ThineyAM/FW Paris FCLoan inForwards4Paige MonaghanRW/FW Butler Bulldogs10Carli LloydFW/DM/CM/AM Houston Dash20Évelyne ViensFW South Florida Bulls23Margaret PurceRW/LW/FW/RB Portland Thorns FC25Ifeoma OnumonuFW OL Reign
Coaching staff
PositionStaffHead Coach Scott ParkinsonAssistant Coach Beverly Goebel YanezAssistant Coach Becki TweedGoalkeeper Coach Daniel BallHigh Performance Coach Philip CongletonTechnical Advisor Marcia McDermottHead Physio Joelle MuroHead Athletic Trainer Sara Carpentieri
Competitions Overview
Preseason Preseason training camp began on February 1, 2021. On the same day, Gotham FC announced a 28-player preseason roster, including four non-roster invitees. The club's first preseason friendly was announced on March 3, to be played behind closed doors. Another friendly, against fellow NWSL club Washington Spirit, was announced on March 7.
Matches
National Women's Soccer League
Regular season Standings
Results summary
Results by matchday
Matches The regular season schedule was announced on April 27, 2021.
Playoffs
Matches
Challenge Cup
The schedule for the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup was announced on March 9, 2021. Under the rules of the competition, Gotham played four matches as part of the East Division. On April 5, the club announced a twenty-four player roster for the tournament.
Standings
Matches
Championship
As a result of their performances in the East Division of the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup, in which Gotham FC went unbeaten, the club qualified for the championship match on May 2, 2021. However, because West Division champions Portland Thorns FC had a better overall record in the cup, Portland were selected as the home team for the final.
Squad statistics Appearances
No.PlayerNWSLPlayoffsChallenge CupTotalStartsStartsStartsStarts1GKKailen Sheridan1616110017172MFBrianna Pinto10000001003DFCaprice Dydasco2423115430284FWPaige Monaghan125105518105MFNicole Baxter000011116MFJennifer Cudjoe116005516117MFMcCall Zerboni2018111022198DFErica Skroski11700111289MFNahomi Kawasumi23181155292410FWCarli Lloyd12121144171711MFLee So-dam145004418912DFGina Lewandowski20201155262613GKDiDi Haracic880055131315DFSabrina Flores5300308316MFAllie Long21211121242317MFDomi Richardson7000209018MFDelanie Sheehan6200006219MFElizabeth Eddy175103021520FWÉvelyne Viens133103017321GKMandy McGlynn1000001022DFMandy Freeman1081044151223FWMargaret Purce16161144212124DFEstelle Johnson19191131232125FWIfeoma Onumonu24211151302327MFGaëtane Thiney128100013828DFImani Dorsey151311552119Players who went out on loan or left permanently but made appearances for Gotham prior to departing18MFTaylor Aylmer00001010Total241530
Goals
No.PlayerNWSLPlayoffsChallenge CupTotal23FWMargaret Purce9021125FWIfeoma Onumonu800810FWCarli Lloyd40264FWPaige Monaghan101227MFGaëtane Thiney20023DFCaprice Dydasco10017MFMcCall Zerboni10019MFNahomi Kawasumi100116MFAllie Long100117MFDomi Richardson100120FWÉvelyne Viens0011Own goals0000Total290635
Assists
No.PlayerNWSLPlayoffsChallenge CupTotal25FWIfeoma Onumonu40263DFCaprice Dydasco50059MFNahomi Kawasumi400420FWÉvelyne Viens300328DFImani Dorsey00224FWPaige Monaghan00116MFJennifer Cudjoe00117MFMcCall Zerboni100110MFCarli Lloyd100118MFDelanie Sheehan100119MFElizabeth Eddy100123FWMargaret Purce100124DFEstelle Johnson1001
Shutouts
No.PlayerNWSLPlayoffsChallenge CupTotal1Kailen Sheridan600613DiDi Haracic203521Mandy McGlynn0000
Disciplinary record
No.PlayerNWSLPlayoffsChallenge CupTotal 1GKKailen Sheridan100000103DFCaprice Dydasco300010404FWPaige Monaghan200000206MFJennifer Cudjoe200020407MFMcCall Zerboni100000108DFErica Skroski100010209MFNahomi Kawasumi1000001010FWCarli Lloyd3010004011MFLee So-dam2000002012DFGina Lewandowski1000102016MFAllie Long6000006020FWÉvelyne Viens1000001022DFMandy Freeman1010002023FWMargaret Purce4000004024DFEstelle Johnson1010002025FWIfeoma Onumonu3000003027MFGaëtane Thiney1000001028DFImani Dorsey40000040Total3803050460
Transfers 2021 NWSL Draft RoundPickPlayerCollege13Brianna PintoMFUniversity of North Carolina323Taryn TorresMFUniversity of Virginia433Delanie SheehanDFUCLA440Tess BoadeFWDuke University
Transfers in DatePlayerPrevious clubFee/notesRef.January 5, 2021Lee So-damMF Hyundai Steel Red AngelsFree agentJanuary 13, 2021Jennifer CudjoeMF Racing Louisville FCTrade for allocation money and 13th overall pick in the 2021 NWSL DraftApril 9, 2021Taylor AylmerMF Rutgers Scarlet KnightsNational team replacement playerClaire WinterMF UCLA BruinsApril 27, 2021Allie LongMF OL ReignTrade for allocation money and 2nd round pick in the 2022 NWSL DraftJune 4, 2021Brianna PintoMF University of North CarolinaDraft pick. Signed two-year contract.July 8, 2021Delanie SheehanMF UCLADraft pick. National team replacement player.
Transfers out DatePlayerDestination clubFee/notesRef.November 12, 2020Jennifer CudjoeMF Racing Louisville FC2020 NWSL Expansion DraftKaleigh RiehlDFDecember 29, 2020Mallory PughFW Chicago Red StarsTrade for draft picks and International slotsSarah WoldmoeMF
Loans in Start dateEnd dateNo.PlayerFrom clubRef.June 8, 2021End of seasonMF27Gaëtane Thiney Paris FC
Loans out Start dateEnd dateNo.PlayerDestination clubRef.August 28, 2020February 28, 2021FW20Évelyne Viens Paris FC
New contracts DatePlayerRef.December 10, 2020Nicole BaxterMFDecember 14, 2020Kenie WrightMFDecember 16, 2020Nahomi KawasumiMFDecember 18, 2020Mandy FreemanDFDecember 21, 2020Ifeoma OnumonuFWDecember 22, 2020Gina LewandowskiDFJanuary 20, 2021Caprice DydascoDFJanuary 26, 2021McCall ZerboniMFJanuary 28, 2021Megan HinzGKJanuary 29, 2021DiDi HaracicGK
Awards
NWSL annual awards Best XI: Kailen Sheridan, Caprice Dydasco, Margaret Purce Second XI: Ifeoma Onumonu Defender of the Year: Caprice Dydasco
Monthly awards NWSL Player of the Month MonthPlayerRef.October Margaret Purce
NWSL Team of the Month Month Player(s) Ref.May Kailen Sheridan Caprice Dydasco June Caprice Dydasco July Caprice Dydasco Allie LongAugust Caprice Dydasco Ifeoma OnumonuSeptember Kailen Sheridan Estelle JohnsonOctober Caprice Dydasco Margaret Purce
Weekly awards Challenge Cup Save of the Week WeekPlayerRef.5 DiDi Haracic
National Women's Soccer League NWSL Player of the Week WeekPlayerRef.1 Margaret Purce13 Ifeoma Onumonu21 Margaret Purce
NWSL Save of the Week WeekPlayerRef.3 Kailen Sheridan8 DiDi Haracic22 Kailen Sheridan
References
External links