by Alyce Collett (18/7/26)
Above: Gotham FC and its fans will certainly be hoping star forward Esther (in focus) will be right to go for this afternoon’s match against Seattle after getting injured mid week against Washington. Photo: via Gotham FC.
After a historic match mid week against Washington, today provides a new challenge for Gotham FC as they take on the Seattle Reign at home.
Speaking to the media yesterday ahead of the clash, Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós spoke about the unique challenges his team faces after playing a match mid week.
“We definitely have experience with midweek games and quick turnarounds” Amorós said.
“The main challenge is that we don’t even have 72 hours not only to prepare but to recover. I think we’re around the 60-hour mark, so it’s about making sure that after a game that was played away from here, we’re ready to come back, recover the players and prepare for the next game.
“That’s been the biggest challenge more than dealing with the emotions of living such an amazing experience.
“Tomorrow we obviously play in a different stadium again, but we’re prepared for it.”
Today Gotham faces an opponent who did not play mid week, who will come into this afternoon’s clash much better rested as a result.
“The first challenge is our ability to play again in such a short period of time against a team that didn’t play in midweek” Amorós explained.
“They’re probably looking for a high-tempo game to make things difficult for us. We need to make sure we’re clever with how we manage minutes and when players come on and off to keep that intensity. That’s why we have a competitive roster full of talent.
“The main target is to be prepared to compete throughout those 90 minutes and try to come out on top at the end.”
That win over the Spirit during the week did come with some negatives, with injury concerns to both Jordynn Dudley and Esther González.
“With Jordynn, we have to wait” Amorós explained.
“She had that double impact to her head. As I said before, it would be a shame if we ended up missing a player who has probably suffered too many impacts because she’s such an exciting player.
“With Esther, we also have to wait. She got stepped on her foot, so we’re looking to see how she recovers.
“It’s such a quick turnaround that players are human, they have pain, and we’ll have to wait and see how she reacts after that.”
Although Amorós got to show off one of his big summer signings mid week in Sam Kerr, today’s clash may see the debut of another in Irish legend Denise O’Sullivan.
“It will take her some time to really understand everything we do, but with the experience and qualities she has, even though she still needs time to adapt, those are things football players always have within themselves, and Denise definitely has that” Amorós said about O’Sullivan.
“She’s known for her hard-working traits and her energy, but there’s much more football there than just the things that stand out. It’s also her quality, her technique, her reading of the game, how she manages the balance of the team, her distribution of play and her awareness of space.
“She’s such a great player that, even though she hasn’t played for a while, we’re going to start seeing glimpses of those qualities straight away, and it will keep growing from there.”
O’Sullivan – who joined her coach at yesterday’s press conference – spoke of her joy to be joining the club.
“I’m very excited to join Gotham” O’Sullivan said.
“I don’t take it lightly when I say that I’m really honoured to join a team of this calibre. Coming into a team with world-class players, an excellent coaching staff and everyone having a winning mentality is really exciting.
“I’m excited to be here and excited for the game tomorrow. Every game in this league is very tough, but as the girls know, we’re well prepared and ready to go.”
O’Sullivan returns to the NWSL only six months after departing the league for what turned out to be a short stint at Liverpool FC in England.
“It’ll be much easier this time around. The biggest transition in my career was moving to England” O’Sullivan said about her return to the NWSL.
“I’ve played in this league for over 10 years, won multiple championships and multiple Shields, so I have a lot of experience. The biggest thing now is figuring out how this team works, how they operate and what Juan wants from me individually so I understand my role.
“In terms of the league itself, I know what the teams are about, so I don’t think it’ll take me too long.”
One thing O’Sullivan is well known for is her leadership experience, which she will be hoping to use to full effect with her new team.
“This team already has tons and tons of experience, so for me it’s about adding to that and continuing to be successful” O’Sullivan said.
“My experience of winning, being in big games and being able to control and dictate games when they matter is something I can bring.
“I also want to bring my leadership. I’ve been vice captain with Ireland and captain of the Courage for three years. I’m a player who likes to hold herself accountable, and I bring high standards to training every single day.
“For me, it’s about adding to what this team already has and continuing to help make this team successful.”
Follow Impetus on social media:
@ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram and TikTok.
impetusfootball.org 