Tag: Bay FC

Despite 5-2 loss Bay FC hung with formable foe Barcelona at Pay Pal

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Bay FC’s Tess Boade (12) kicks the ball against FC Barcelona in the first half at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC hosted an international friendly match against FC Barcelona at PayPal Park on Tuesday night. After a disappointing loss against Utah on Friday, it gave Bay an opportunity to bounce back prior to their next NWSL match against the Portland Thorns in three days time.

With that being said, that opportunity was coming against the best women’s soccer team in the world. It also marked the first time that Asisat Oshoala faced off against her former team following her transfer to Bay FC. Bay FC hung tight with Barcelona in the match despite the three goal loss 5-2.

Bay FC also made a couple of transfers the day before the match, sending Lysianne Proulx to Italian side Juventus and acquiring Bay-Area native Abby Dahlkemper from the San Diego Wave. Dahlkemper was in Albertin Montoya’s starting lineup for this matchup, so she was debuting against a very strong opponent.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, Dydasco, Menges, Dahlkemper, Moreau, Pickett, Bailey, Boade, Kundananji, Oshoala, Hill

Barcelona Starting XI: Gemma, Leon, Fernandez, Graham Hansen, Rolfo, Pajor, Nazareth, Walsh, Engen, Cano, Schertenleib

Oshoala nearly got on the board early, she got past the defense and had only the keeper left to beat but she was at a tight angle and was unable to get it into the net. Rachael Kundananji took a ball to the fact in the 7th minute, after a little difficulty she got back to her feet and continued on.

In the 11th minute, Barcelona got a dangerous ball into the box but nobody was there to get on the end of it and it went out of play for a goal kick. Overall, Bay FC was doing a phenomenal job limiting chances for Barcelona and creating their own.

Oshoala got her goal after intercepting a pass from Gemma to her defense, giving Oshoala a wide-open net. Barcelona evened it up in the 22nd minute with a goal by Kika Nazareth that ricocheted off of the goalpost and in, giving Katelyn Rowland no chance to make the save.

Oshoala nearly got a second one in the 30th minute, but her shot went wide right. In the 32nd minute, Tess Boade fired a shot from distance, which was saved by Gemma but bounced right to Kundananji who put it away to make it 2-1 in favor of Bay FC.

Kundananji and Rachel Hill were substituted for Deyna Castellanos and Caroline Conti, following the goal. Barcelona once again evened the game up, this time Caroline Graham Hansen put it away to make it 2-2.

That score would hold until the break, and it would head into halftime tied. Despite the tied score, the game already seemed like a victory for Bay FC as they had proven they could hang with the best team in the world. Now, it was a matter of getting the actual result as well.

Bay FC made a multitude of changes for the second half, having a majority of their bench enter the match. Barcelona made a few substitutions of their own but most of their stars remained on the bench. Catherine Paulson who was signed to fill Savy King’s roster spot while she’s representing the United States U20 team came into the match making her debut with the team.

In the 51st minute, Ewa Pajor got a shot off inside the box that had potential to give Barcelona the lead, but it went just wide. Barcelona’s sensational passing nearly gave them the lead in the 64th minute, but a great save by Emmie Allen followed by a blocked shot and another great save by Allen kept the game a 2-2 tie.

Barcelona took the lead off of a corner kick and from there, they brought on quite a few of their top players including Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas. Bay FC had already substituted off all of their starting eleven, as a result, the remainder of the game seemed like it should go in Barcelona’s favor.

Alyssa Malonson had a great run in the 78th minute, but she went down off of a bit of a push and was unable to get a shot away. Bonmati showed tremendous sportsmanship when Allen went down with an apparent leg injury and she helped the opposing goalkeeper stretch out.

Allen made another fantastic save in the 85th minute. Allen really shined, making a couple of other saves late in the game. She made a few mistakes but overall played really well for the majority of the second half.

A long shot by Claudia Pina after a corner gave Barcelona a 4-2 lead in stoppage time. Patri Guijarro added another in the 93rd minute to make it 5-2 and that would end up being the final score. Although Bay FC lost, they proved that they could hang with any competition in the world on any given night.

Bay FC podcast with William Espy: Bay needs to jell to stay in playoff hunt

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Bay FC Asisat Oshoala is expected to be one of the big star players in the NWSL (Punchng.com file photos)

On the Bay FC podcast with William Espy:

#1 Bay FC is playing Barcelona on Tuesday and it marks Asisat Oshoala’s first game against her former team. How important will that game be for her future performances? 

#2 Maddie Moreau had a strong performance in the Summer Cup, how should Bay FC proceed with her development?

#3 Bay FC has lost to Utah twice so far this season, considering the Royals have only won three games in total this season, what went wrong?

#4 Savy King is leaving the team to play for the United States at the U-20 World Cup in Colombia, how can they fill that gap for the time being? 

#5 Bay FC is currently in the final playoff spot, with just 9 regular season games left how can they hold off teams like San Diego and Angel City?

#6 The NWSL and the union have come to an agreement for a new CBA on Thu Aug 22. Could you please discuss some of the player benefits.

William Espy is a beat writer for Bay FC Futbol at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Bay FC falls short against Utah Royals 2-1; Four loss for Bay in last 5 games

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Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji takes off down field against the Utah Royals at America First Field in Sandy UT on Fri Aug 23, 2024 (photo from Bay FC X)

By William Espy

Bay FC’s inaugural regular season continued after the Olympic break and Summer Cup with a match against the Utah Royals on Friday night. Entering the match, Bay FC found themselves sitting in the final playoff spot for the time being, while Utah was last in the league. It turned out to be another tough night for Bay losing their fourth in their last five games 2-1 at America First Field in Sandy Utah.

After a strong Summer Cup though, the Royals were looking to get things on the right track for the remainder of the season. It was another battle of the top two picks in the 2024 NWSL Draft, which will now be known as the final draft in league history as Ally Sentnor and Savy King took the field against one another just days before they become teammates for the United States U20 team.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, King, Beattie, Menges, Dydasco, Bailey, Pickett, Castellanos, Kundananji, Boade, Hill

Utah Starting XI: Haught, Griffitts, Del Fava, Riehl, Pogarch, Tejeda, Zornoza, Tanaka, Sentnor, Monaghan, Betfort

Just 30 seconds into the game, Rachael Kundananji went down in considerable pain after getting her toes stepped on and received medical attention just moments into the match. She would remain in the game though after a short delay.

In the sixth minute, she’d get Bay FC their first opportunity of the night after a strong run into the box which ultimately ended with a shot by Dorian Bailey. Katelyn Rowland got tested for the first time in the 10th minute when Hannah Betfort took the ball from her own end of the pitch into Bay FC’s box and fired a shot on the Bay FC goalkeeper who made the save.

Jen Beattie made a few mistakes in the opening minutes of the match, but seemed to get stronger as the game went on denying Sentnor of a scoring chance in the 12th minute. Tess Boade got her first chance in the 13th minute after a phenomenal run that resulted from a perfect through-ball from Kundananji, however the shot would go just wide.

Kundananji seemingly gave Bay FC the lead in the 18th minute, however, Mandy Haught’s clearance attempt hit her in the hand and it was ruled a handball so the game remained 0-0. Rachel Hill nearly got on the board in the 23rd minute, but the long shot was deflected out for a corner.

Overall, Bay FC was clearly the better team in the first 25 minutes, maintaining 65% of possession but the game was still scoreless. Betfort and Beattie collided at midfield around the half-hour mark, leaving Betfort in major discomfort but she remained in the game. It remained a 0-0 heading into the break, as neither team had been able to break the deadlock.

Paige Monaghan gave Utah the lead just moments into the 48th minute, with a shot just outside of the box. Rowland nearly got a hand on it, but her reflexes were just a millisecond too late. Once again, Utah was leading over Bay FC who for whatever reason had been unable to score against the Royals up to this point in the season.

Emily Menges’s own goal gave Utah a 2-0 lead. It was a disastrous opening to the second half for Bay FC, and now they had a major uphill battle to get back into the match. Bay nearly got on board in the 58th minute but Mina Tanaka swept it away on the goal line.

Tanaka exited her NWSL debut for Cloe LaCasse to make her Utah debut in the 60th minute while Amandine Henry entered for Zornoza. Alyssa Malonson and Asisat Oshoala entered the match for Deyna Castellanos and King in the 66th minute.

Betfort got behind the defense in the 69th minute, but Rowland came well out of the box to beat her to the ball and clear it out for a throw-in. The surging Maddie Moreau entered the match in the 76th minute for Jen Beattie.

Kundananji finally got her goal in the 83rd minute off of a great cross from Rachel Hill, making it 2-1 in favor of Utah with very limited time remaining. Ten minutes of stoppage time were awarded after the 90 minutes were completed, giving Bay FC a significant amount of time to get an equalizer.

Oshoala nearly got an equalizer in the final minute off of a corner kick, but Utah got another goal line clearance to maintain their lead and walk away with a 2-1 victory. Utah swept the season series, and as a result, Bay FC dropped important points to the team at the bottom of the table on two separate occasions.

Bay FC picks up key win edge Club America 2-1 at Pay Pal Park

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Aug 2, 2024; San Jose, CA, USA; Bay FC defender Maddie Moreau (24) and Club America forward Noemi Granados (6) battle for the ball during the first half at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

SAN JOSE–Bay FC had a familiar face return to PayPal Park on Friday night as Scarlett Camberos, who recently departed from the club, returned with her new team Club America for the NWSL x Liga MXF Summer Cup. Head coach Albertin Montoya went with a slightly more experienced lineup than we’d seen previously in the Cup, but Maddie Moreau, who has certainly impressed over the course of the tournament, remained in the starting 11. Bay FC picked up the win Friday night just getting by Club America 2-1.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, Dydasco, Menges, Beattie, Moreau, Malonson, Pickett, Bailey, Hill, Boade, Castellanos

Club America Starting XI: Panos, Rodriguez, Granados, Guerrero, Hernandez, Orejel, Avilez, Enciso, Luebbert, Palacios, Camberos

The game started off with quite a bit of physicality and it seemed to center around Tess Boade early in that regard, which isn’t unordinary with her style of play. Bay were creating chances in the opening minutes but Club America were defending responsibly.

Moreau got her second professional goal just seven minutes into the match, when the ball landed at her feet with an empty net directly in front of her. She has been earning Montoya’s trust, and it’s well deserved.

Camberos launched an attack for Club America in the 10th minute, but her former teammate Emily Menges defended her perfectly kicking the ball out for a corner that was caught by Katelyn Rowland. In the 18th minute, Bay had another prime scoring opportunity as the ball went straight through the box but nobody was there to tap it into the netting.

Moments later, the ball found Kiki Pickett, but her shot went wide of the goal. Club America got their best opportunity to this point in the match in the 23rd minute when they were able to cross it across the box a couple of times, but were unable to make anything of it.

Besides Camberos, it seemed like their most involved player was Nicolette Hernandez who fired a shot on target whenever she got an opportunity to do so. Noemi Granados nearly gifted Bay a goal in the 25th minute as she slipped with the ball at her feet, handing it to Boade who created a 2-on-1 rush with Rachel Hill but Club America was able to recover defensively.

Camberos scored in her return to PayPal Park in the 29th minute off of a pass from Sarah Luebbert. It was a moment that seemed somewhat inevitable, and she was able to accomplish it very early on. Bay FC had been playing well up until the goal, and it was vital that they didn’t let a single moment derail their performance.

The summer of Moreau nearly continued with a goal in the 38th minute, but her shot went just wide. The first half came to an end after 45 minutes, with no stoppage time and a 1-1 tie.

Joelle Anderson and Jordan Brewster entered the match to start the second half for Bay FC with Boade and Menges coming out as a result. Deyna Castellanos tried to restore her team’s lead in the 48th minute with a powerful shot from outside of the box, and although a diving Sandra Panos wasn’t able to get in front of it, it went just wide of the goal.

Club America nearly got a lead of their own when Luebbert got behind the defense but was slightly tripped up and ended up falling into the goal while Rowland gathered the ball. Rachel Hill was taken down inside the box in the 50th minute, but to the dismay of the crowd, a foul wasn’t called by the official. Bay FC regained the lead in the 53rd minute, as a Jen Beattie header placed the ball right on the goal line following a corner and Dorian Bailey toe-poked it into the goal.

Club America attempted to equalize it in the 55th minute with a header of their own, but it went just over the crossbar. Castellanos came out in the 60th minute for Princess, while Aylin Avilez came out for Miah Zuazua.

Princess immediately got a scoring chance in the 61st minute, but her touch knocked the ball slightly out of reach of a shot and as a result, Panos was able to take away her shooting angle. Granados and Leubbert came out for Club America in the 64th minute with Nancy Antonio and Natalia Mauleon entering the match.

Albertin Montoya made another change in the 68th minute when Caprice Dydasco came out for Savy King. Bailey got another opportunity in the 70th minute but once again, her first touch was too heavy and the ball bounced to the goalkeeper Panos.

Camberos nearly got her second of the night in the 77th minute, but the shot went wide of the goal. Rowland went down in the 82nd minute and received some medical attention before getting back up to her feet and remaining in the game.

A collision between Princess and Sabrina Enciso in the 88th minute saw Enciso go down in considerable difficulty before she ultimately got back up and stayed in the match.

There were four minutes of stoppage time awarded at the 90-minute mark, meaning a Bay FC victory was very close, they just needed to hang on for a few more minutes. Moreau seemed to be cramping up around this point in the match, as she went down for a moment while by herself but got back up and played with no further difficulty.

Camberos was tackled inside the box in the 92nd minute, but once again the official decided there was no foul on the play. Time eventually ran out for Club America, and Bay FC walked away with their first and only victory of the Summer Cup, with a 2-1 final score at PayPal Park.

Bay FC blanked by Angel City in NWSL X Liga MXF Summer Cup 2-0

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Bay FC battled in their NWSL X Liga MXF Summer Cup match with Angel City FC at Pay Pal Park in San Jose on Fri Jul 26, 2024 but lost their second match in the Cup (photo by Bay FC)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC looked to bounce back and get some points on the board in the NWSL X Liga MXF Summer Cup on Friday night when they hosted Angel City FC. Bay lost their second match in the Femenil Summer Cup at Pay Pal Park 2-0 to Angel City.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, King, Brewster, Sharples, Moreau, Bailey, Shepherd, Conti, Hill, Doms, Castellanos Angel City Starting XI: Anderson, Vignola, Reid, Gorden, Fuller, Dougherty Howard, Hammond, Emslie, Thompson, Spencer, Bright

Rachel Hill nearly got Bay FC an early lead, when a fantastic through-ball found her with only the goalkeeper to beat however Angelina Anderson made the save, knocking the ball out for a corner. The corner led to a scramble in front of the goal, and Maya Doms put a shot on target causing Anderson to make a second save to tip the ball over the night.

Off the second straight corner, Savy King’s pass found a player in front, but Anderson once again made the stop. Angel City got a chance of their own in the fifth minute when Dorian Bailey slipped while defending but the shot sailed over the goal.

Maddie Moreau was continuing her strong performance in the Cup, making a few solid defensive plays early in the night. Deyna Castellanos nearly scored a phenomenal goal in the 10th minute when Anderson was outside of her box.

Castellanos shot it from midfield, however it was just off-target and went to the right of the net. Bailey had another great opportunity in the 15th minute, but the ball rolled just enough to throw her shot off and it went out of play.

Bay FC came out of the gate very strong, maintaining possession and generating quite a few scoring opportunities while preventing Angel City from getting many of their own. Overall, they were playing well up and down the entirety of the pitch. It seemed like Bay could easily be leading by two or 3 goals. After a freekick in a dangerous area though, an own goal by Bailey put them down a goal in the 18th minute.

Madison Hammond got shown the first yellow card of the night in the 22nd minute when she grabbed Doms with two hands from behind. Caroline Conti forced Anderson to make another save in the 25th minute, and Bay was starting to get momentum back on their side after the energy had been taken out of PayPal Park following the goal.

There was a break in play as Anderson got evaluated for a potential head injury following a collision with Hill. Angel City nearly extended their lead in the 37th minute when King slipped inside the box trying to clear the ball, but Kayla Sharples was able to press the shooter a bit and force a rushed shot that trickled out of play.

Mary Alice Vignola got another opportunity for Angel City in the 38th but the shot went just over the crossbar. Sharples made a fantastic sliding block in the 41st minute, on a shot that could’ve easily gotten past Rowland.

As the first half reached stoppage time Bay desperately attempted to tie it before halftime, creating quite a few chances late in the half. They were unable to accomplish their goal though and entered the break still trailing by a goal.

Rowland needed medical attention roughly a minute into the second half after a collision with Claire Emslie. Bay FC’s goalkeeper was trying to play the ball inside her box, while Emslie slid directly into her trying to play the ball.

After a few moments, Rowland was back to her feet and remained in the match. Emslie was shown a yellow card for the dangerous play. Rowland got tested almost immediately after and made the save. Emslie would end up extending Angel City’s lead to 2-0 in the 54th minute.

Although it seems that Bay FC manager Albertin Montoya is taking a development approach to this Cup rather than attempting to win it, he certainly had to be disappointed in how the game was turning out. Sharples and King kept up the aggressive defending that we’d seen from them all night as we approached the hour mark, both were pulling off sensational slide tackles to deny their opposition scoring chances.

Bay made three substitutions in the 61st minute taking off Hill, Doms, and Castellanos for Alyssa Malonson, Princess, and Kiki Pickett. The substitutes attempted to make an impact right out of the gate, creating some pressure in the offensive third of the pitch.

Angel City made a substitution of their own in the 65th minute with Casey Phair entering the match for Messiah Bright. Montoya responded moments later taking off Jamie Shepherd for Joelle Anderson. Conti fired a long shot in the 69th minute following a pass from Princess,it was a great effort but went over the goal.

It’s certainly worth noting, Sharples really stepped up into a leadership role in this game. With a majority of the typical leaders out of the lineup, she was truly leading by example and putting her body on the line to make an impact. Princess nearly scored off of a cross in the 77th minute, but the shot went into the side netting after a deflection off the goalkeeper.

Ultimately Bay FC wouldn’t be able to complete a comeback and were shutout by Angel City, with a final score of 2-0.

San Diego hands Bay FC second straight loss 3-1 at Snapdragon

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Hard as they tried Bay FC couldn’t overcome the San Diego Wave at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on Sat Jul 20, 2024 (Bay FC image)

By William Espy

Bay FC visited the San Diego Wave on Saturday night to start the Summer Cup. With a few of their players off to play in the Olympics, and a few others out of the lineup for other reasons, Bay was running with a much different starting eleven than we’ve seen previously.

San Diego had a highly motivated Alex Morgan in the lineup, as she was left off the United States Olympic Team. Emmie Allen was making the first start of her professional career between the pipes for Bay. Bay FC couldn’t hold on losing in a two goal match 3-1 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

Bay FC Starting XI: Allen, Brewster, Beattie, Moreau, Dydasco, Bailey, Shepherd, Castellanos, Doms, Conti, Hill

Wave Starting XI: Beall, McNabb, Westphal, Dahlkemper, Wesley, McCaskill, Colaprico, Doniak, Bennett, Sanchez, Morgan

Allen got forced into action early, making a great save in the 6th minute while she was assisted by defender Jordan Brewster who was also making her first start with Bay FC. Bay spent a majority of the opening minutes with the ball around their box, but they were defending very well despite a few young defenders and midfielders.

15 minutes into the game, Allen went down with an apparent injury but she got back on her feet and remained in the game. Katelyn Rowland was on the bench if necessary, but the 21-year-old Allen certainly needed to make the most of her opportunity.

She certainly was doing so, making another save, this time on Alex Morgan in the 26th minute. A nice passing play nearly gave Bay the lead in the 28th minute, and Deyna Castellanos put it away with a nice finish but the play was called offside. Albertin Montoya was trying something new, playing with Castellanos as a false nine which was seemingly working early in the match.

Around the halfway point in the first half, things seemed to switch a bit. The Wave were carrying momentum and bringing heavy pressure early on, but Bay was starting to swing things in their favor. Dydasco made a phenomenal block in the 31st minute, preventing a quality scoring chance by San Diego.

Kristen McNabb picked up a yellow card in the 36th minute for San Diego when she tripped up Dydasco in midfield. A jumping Jordan Brewster and Makenzy Doniak collided in midfield moments later, leaving Doniak down in some pain and Brewster no worse for wear.

Doniak got back to her feet and remained in the match for the time being. San Diego got a dangerous chance in the 40th minute when Jen Beattie went down leaving it a 2-on-1 with Brewster as the long defender back. Brewster handled it very well though and prevented San Diego from getting on the board.

Rachel Hill created a great chance with hard work in the 42nd, as the Wave tried to hold out for a goal kick as the ball drifted out of play but Hill hustled, got a foot on the ball, and centered it to Castellanos who was unable to finish it off.

Moments later, Bay got their strongest opportunity of the night as Maddie Moreau and Hill got past the defense, but Moreau’s pass was just out of Hill’s reach and went out of play. San Diego took the lead in stoppage time off of a corner, Maria Sanchez whipped it into the head of Kennedy Wesley and Allen had no chance to make a save. It marked the Wave’s first goal since June 19th and Wesley’s first professional goal.

Joelle Anderson entered the game early in the second half for Bay FC, taking over for Maya Doms. Bay got a chance around the 50th minute when a cross from Moreau found Castellanos in front of the goal but it went wide of the goal following a weak shot.

Sanchez scored her first goal with the Wave in the 53rd minute on a long shot that went well over Allen’s head, giving her no chance to make the save once again. Allen was playing at a high level in her first career start, but unfortunately, there was nothing she could do on either of the goals Bay had conceded.

Anderson continued trying to make an impact after entering the game, getting a solid shot just a few minutes later. Moreau got Bay FC on the board in the 63rd minute following a bad clearing attempt by the Wave’s goalkeeper Beall.

It was a great moment for Moreau, who was undrafted in the 2024 NWSL Draft but still scored in her rookie season. Chaos inside Bay FC’s box in the 80th minute gave San Diego a 3-1 lead. Allen originally made the save, but with nobody in between the ball and Amirah Ali, Ali was able to retrieve the ball and put it away.

All things considered, Bay played well with a young lineup against an experienced Wave team. Bay was awarded a penalty at the start of stoppage time when Dydasco went down hard inside of the box.

Castellanos stepped up to take it, and Beall read the shot perfectly, denying the attempt. San Diego walked away with their first win in 10 games, as they defeated Bay FC 3-1 and now leads their group in the Summer Cup.

That’s the Spirit Bay FC shutout by Washington 3-0 at Pay Pal Park

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As hard as they tried Bay FC couldn’t get on the scoreboard and were shutout by the visiting Washington Spirit at Pay Pal Park in San Jose on Sat Jul 6, 2023 (photo by Bay FC)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC hosted the Washington Spirit in their final game before the Olympic break. Bay was looking to extend their winning streak to three games, while the Spirit looked to pull closer to the Orlando Pride and Kansas City Current in the standings.

Bay has a couple of ties with the Spirit, as head coach Albertin Montoya was previously their interim coach, while midfielder Dorian Bailey previously played for them. After winning two games in a row and winning three of their last five games Bay FC were shutout at Pay Pal Park 3-0 by the Spirit in Saturday night’s match.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, King, Menges, Sharples, Malonson, Castellanos, Pickett, Bailey, Kundananji, Oshoala, Hill

Spirit Starting XI: Kingsbury, Krueger, Butel, McKeown, Carle, Hershfelt, Sullivan, Rodman, Bethune, Morris, Sarr

In the third minute, Katelyn Rowland got very lucky to only get a yellow card when she came out to play the ball and took out the attacker’s legs. It could’ve easily been more than that, which would’ve certainly put Bay FC in a difficult spot very early on.

They weren’t overly lucky though, as just moments later Washington would make it 1-0 off of a shot from Makenna Morris. Before the match even started, it was clear that Bay would be fighting an uphill battle as they looked to knock off the third-placed team in the NWSL but now it was going to be even more difficult.

Morris was tripped inside the box by Alyssa Malonson in the 17th minute and was awarded a penalty. Upon review, it appeared that Morris tripped over her own leg, but the penalty stood Trinity Rodman stepped up to take it and scored, making it 2-0 for Washington just 20 minutes into the match.

In the 24th minute, Deyna Castellanos appeared to take an elbow to the head after a battle with Hal Hershfelt in midfield. Due to the nature of the impact, she had to get taken a look at by the medical staff but she remained in the game.

Not only did Castellanos remain in the game, but she got Bay FC’s best opportunity of the night so far in the 29th minute. Bailey had a long shot that nearly found the back of the net in the 32nd minute but went wide. Malonson was playing a very physical game, and although the penalty was a low point for her, she was doing very well winning battles and regaining possession for Bay.

Unfortunately, most people will forget her solid play and focus on the mistake. Once the 45 minutes elapsed, the officials added ten minutes of stoppage time leaving plenty of opportunities for Bay to score a goal and get back in the game, or for the Spirit to essentially put the game out of reach early on. Late in stoppage time, Rodman slipped with the ball and continued on but had a significant limp.

Rachael Kundananji nearly got Bay on the board just after the start of the second half, but her shot sailed wide. Malonson picked up an apparent ankle injury in the 51st minute and Caprice Dydasco was ready to enter the match if necessary but remained on the bench for the time being.

Washington extended their lead in the 57th minute in the midst of a counter attack when Ouleymata Sarr got past Kayla Sharples and gave Rowland no chance to make the save. The crucial third goal of the match went to the Spirit, and with a half hour remaining the game seemed out of reach for Bay.

After adding to their lead, Washington made some adjustments taking off Sarr, Sullivan and Morris for Hatch, Metayer, and Brown. In the 66th, Bay made some changes of their own with Malonson coming out for Dydasco and Tess Boade coming in for Castellanos.

In the 72nd, they made another change taking off Asisat Oshoala for Princess. Five minutes later, Washington took off Bethune for Stainbrook. Bay continued playing aggressively though, and Sharples picked up a yellow card in the 81st minute before getting a scoring chance just a few minutes later.

Once again, ten minutes of stoppage time were awarded at the end of the half. Once all was said and done, Bay FC would walk away with their second defeat of the season against the Spirit, this time with a final score of 3-0. It certainly wasn’t how Montoya wanted his squad to head into the break, but they’ll have plenty of time to prepare for their road trip in the second half of August.

Bay FC Asisat Oshoala scores gamer defeat Racing Louisville 1-0

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Bay FC’s Asisat Oshoala is thrilled after scoring at the 76th minute from the spot against Racing Louisville FC at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville in what would be the match’s only goal. (photo by Bay FC X)

By William Espy

Bay FC was on the road Saturday, as they visited Louisville, Kentucky to take on Racing Louisville FC in a matinee matchup at Lynn Family Stadium. It was an important game as the winner could walk away 8th in the league standings, while the loser could quickly start trending in the wrong direction.

Entering the night, Bay had won three of their last five matchups, while Louisville had two victories and a draw in the same time frame. Bay was without key player Rachael Kundananji who had been suspended for yellow-card accumulation. Asisat Oshoala scored the match’s only goal in the 76th minute that would defeat Racking Louisville 1-0.

Bay Starting XI: Rowland, Malonson, Beattie, Menges, Dydasco, Bailey, Pickett, Anderson, Hill, Oshoala, Boade

Louisville Starting XI: Lund, Pickett, Erceg, Jean, Milliet, DeMelo, Howell, Fischer, Sears, Bahr, DiGrande

The game started out with a collision between Kiki Pickett and Savannah DeMelo in midfield in the first minute. DeMelo was a little shaken up, but the physicality toward her continued as she collided with Jen Beattie and Joelle Anderson just a minute later.

Jaelin Howell would get the first strong chance of the night in the 8th minute for Louisville, however, the ball would sail over the goal. Moments later at the other end, Asisat Oshoala had a great run, she had to hold up while she waited for her teammates but there wasn’t enough on the shot and it was grabbed by the goalkeeper Katie Lund.

Rachel Hill created a second strong chance for Bay on the following play, however her shot went through the box and out for a goal kick. Anderson would be shown a yellow card in the 13th minute following another challenge on DeMelo.

The foul resulted in a very dangerous free kick for Louisville, but after the cross into the box, the ball would be headed out of play. Kayla Fischer nearly gave her teammate Emma Sears a fantastic scoring chance in the 16th minute, but the through-ball was just out of reach and went out for a Bay FC goal kick.

Despite some chances for both teams early in the first half, the game was fairly sluggish out of the gate. The main reason would likely be the 94-degree heat, which certainly had an effect on both teams. In the 37th minute, Louisville had their best opportunity of the night so far on a shot by Fischer but Katelyn Rowland was able to track the shot and make the save. Louisville truly came alive in stoppage time, getting multiple scoring opportunities but were unable to convert. The game entered half-time as a 0-0 draw.

Bay FC made a single change heading into the second half, with Anderson coming out for Deyna Castellanos. Hill got Bay’s first shot of the half in the 48th minute, but the defense stood strong once again. In the 58th minute, Elexa Bahr was alone with quite a bit of space inside of the box, however, her shot was off-target and went out of play.

Louisville came out with quite a bit of energy in the second half, as a result they were creating most of the offense early in the half. Reilyn Turner came on for Louisville in the 64th minute replacing Bahr, while Bay made quite a few changes at the same time, with Kayla Sharples, Princess, and Savy King coming on for Beattie, Caprice Dydasco, and Tess Boade. Demelo was involved in another collision in the 67th minute and received some attention from the trainer but she remained in the game.

Louisville made a few changes of their own as Parker Goins and Jordan Baggett came on for Fischer and Marisa DiGrande in the 72nd minute. In the 73rd, Princess was brought down inside of the box. The Video Assistant Referee suggested that the play be reviewed for a potential penalty.

The penalty was ultimately awarded, and Bay FC had a phenomenal opportunity to take the lead with less than 20 minutes remaining. The foul was the result of contact with Baggett inside of the box. Oshoala stepped up to the spot for Bay and she scored to give Bay a 1-0 lead in the 76th minute.

Immediately after the penalty, the game was paused for a hydration break. In the 88th minute, Oshoala found Princess inside of the box who attempted to extend the lead but was unable to finish the chance. Louisville took out Emma Sears for Maddie Pokorny in the 89th minute as they attempted a final push for an equalizer.

As the timer crossed the 90-minute mark, it was announced that Louisville would have nine minutes of stoppage time to attempt to tie things up. Lund would go down in the 92nd minute following a lot of action on the other end of the pitch.

Caroline Conti entered the match for Oshoala in the 94th following the injury delay. Carson Pickett nearly tied it up right before the whistle, but the shot went just wide. Bay FC’s defense held up and they recorded their second straight shutout, and more importantly their second straight 1-0 win.

Tess Boade gets critical goal as Bay FC defeats Angel City 1-0 at Pay Pal

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Angel City FC goalkeeper DiDi Haracic (13) makes a save against Bay FC during the second half at PayPal Park in San Jose Sat June 22, 2024. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC hosted Angel City FC on Saturday night. Bay’s first-ever victory came against their California rivals in their first game earlier this season, so Angel City looked to avenge that loss at PayPal Park. Following their last outing against the Utah Royals FC, Bay head coach Albertin Montoya made quite a few changes to his starting eleven for this match as he looks to spark his team. Bay FC’s Tess Boade scored the game’s only goal in the 33rd minute for a 1-0 tally.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, King, Menges, Beattie, Malonson, Bailey, Pickett, Kundananji, Oshoala, Castellanos, Boade

Angel City starting XI: Haracic, Vignola, Gorden, Reid, Spencer, Rodriguez, Nabet, Thompson, Emslie, Le Bihan, Leroux

The first half went Bay FC’s way in almost every category except for possession. Tess Boade gave them a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute off of an assist from Emily Menges. But they also led in shots, shots on target and were earning quite a few set piece opportunities, earning six corner kicks in the first half.

They also were creating quite a few opportunities with crosses, although they weren’t all resulting in scoring chances, getting balls in the box will often be beneficial. At the halfway point, they already had 16 crosses while their opposition only had six. Bay has struggled to play with a lead most of the season though, so now the second half was going to make or break their game.

In stoppage time of the first half Jen Beattie picked up a yellow card, which was Bay’s second of the night. As a result, Bay FC had two defenders on a yellow heading into a key point in the match, as Savy King had picked one up earlier. They needed to be cautious to avoid picking up a red card and spending the rest of the match down a player.

Angel City started the substitutions for the night in the 62nd minute with Hammond, Fuller and Thompson entering the match for Nabet, Vignola, and Le Bihan. Four minutes later, Bay made three of their own bringing on Rachel Hill, Joelle Anderson and Caprice Dydasco for King, Boade, and Deyna Castellanos.

Just a few minutes later, Kayla Sharples would enter the match for Beattie, as Montoya tried to do whatever he could to prevent a late game headache with a red card. In terms of scoring, nothing would change in the second half as Bay FC held on to walk away with their second win against Angel City of the season.

Bay FC has been very clear about their mission to not lose to the same team twice this season, winning against the same team twice is definitely something they’d like to see more often though. This victory also put Bay FC within striking distance of the playoffs as well. They’ve tied Angel City and Louisville in points and only trail North Carolina by a single point. Sixth in the table is undoubtedly within reach for Bay, they just need to string some results together quickly.

They’ll return to action next weekend against Louisville in a very important match, as the winner will move up the standings while the loser can fall down considerably as well. The NWSL is a very tight league, and one result can make a massive difference at this point in the season.

Bay FC loses on heartbreak goal by Utah Royals Kate Del Fava in 1-0 loss

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Bay FC’s Kayla Lynne Sharples (27) fights for the ball against Utah Royals FC’s Kate Del Fava (8) in the second half at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday, June 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–It was a battle of the expansion teams on Sunday night, as Bay FC hosted the Utah Royals for the first-ever meeting between the two teams. Utah is off to a difficult start with only four points through their first 12 games, while Bay FC is looking to build off their monumental win against the Chicago Red Stars at Wrigley Field. Bay couldn’t close the deal Sunday at Pay Pal Park in San Jose losing on a 89th minute goal 1-0 by the Royals Kate Del Fava.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, Dydasco, Menges, Malonson, Sharples, Pickett, Anderson, Boade, Hill, Kundananji, Oshoala

Utah Starting XI: Haught, Flynn, Tejada, Del Fava, Burns, Foederer, Henry, Fraser, Tucker, Sentnor, Mozingo

Bay FC started off in control, getting multiple chances in the opening ten minutes while a majority of Utah’s possession was spent in their defensive half of the pitch attempting to break out and launch an attack.

When the Royals did get an attack set up, Bay was finding a way to get in the shooting lanes and prevent them from putting any pressure on Katelyn Rowland. In the 15th minute, Bay got their best opportunity of the night so far when Asisat Oshoala slipped with the ball inside of the box, it fell to Rachael Kundananji who shot it just wide despite the goalkeeper being a non-factor in the play.

They continued applying pressure to Utah’s defense for the next few minutes, with a couple of more chances coming in short succession. Tess Boade had a phenomenal run that nearly gave her team the lead in the 24th minute, however, she was unable to sneak the ball past Mandy Haught who went down in some discomfort after the play.

Utah made an early substitution in the 26th, taking off Lauren Flynn for Madison Pogarch. Caprice Dydasco had a long shot that hit the crossbar in the 28th minute. It was clear in the first 30 minutes that Oshoala and Kundananji are developing the chemistry that fans have been waiting for, as they kept creating chances for one another, but it still remained a 0-0 tie.

Joelle Anderson got called for the first yellow card of the game in the 37th minute when she tripped up Amandine Henry. Kundananji continued feeding passes into the box as the half progressed, but unfortunately for Bay FC, nobody had been able to get good contact on any of them, otherwise they could’ve easily been leading at this point in the match.

Tess Boade had a solid opportunity of her own in the 42nd, but it was saved by Haught. Dydasco picked up Bay FC’s second yellow card of the night during the 45th minute when she tripped up the ball carrier from behind. The first half came to an end, with the game still tied at 0.

Rowland faced her first real test of the night in the 56th minute when she was forced to extend out completely to tip a ball over the crossbar. Anderson and Oshoala came out in the 60th minute with Deyna Castellanos and Dorian Bailey taking over.

Utah was playing stronger to start the second half, creating more opportunities and not letting Bay get as many attacking chances but still, the game remained 0-0 by the 70th minute. Kundananji continued to create chances though, taking another shot in the 74th minute that sailed just over the goal at this point, Albertin Montoya made another substitution taking out Rachel Hill for Scarlett Camberos.

Kundananji seemed to have gotten her goal in the 85th minute, but it was called a foul as she pushed off of the defender. Utah would get awarded a free kick in the 89th minute when Boade picked up a yellow card, they then went on to score off of the set piece when Kate Del Fava was able to connect with the cross and put it in the back of the goal.

Now, Bay FC only had the nine minutes of stoppage time to find an equalizer. They’d be unable to do so, and Utah would walk away with their second win of the season, defeating Bay FC 1-0.