Gotham FC fans should thank Angel City for their win over the Washington Spirit
The buzz is in the air. NJ/NY Gotham FC keeps on inching closer and closer to the team's first NWSL Shield. It is not set in stone, but after Friday's win over Chicago Stars FC, the Bats added another three points in the chase for the regular-season prize.
It would be amazing if the Bats could win the Shield to add to their two NWSL Championship trophies. In order to achieve the goal, Gotham FC knew they had to keep winning because other teams were not far behind. The Washington Spirit has maintained the closest distance over the last few weeks, maintaining a five-point gap. But now, that is not the case.
Gotham FC fans should show gratitude
On Saturday, the Washington Spirit lost to Angel City FC. Not only did they lose, but they lost at home. As such, that means that there is an eight-point gap between the Spirit and Gotham FC.
Now, there is a new team in second place, San Diego Wave FC, as the California side beat Racing Louisville FC. Therefore, there is now a six-point gap, which decreases the pressure for the Bats to win three of their last four games. Now, winning at least twice and a draw, even with a loss, would be enough to clinch the NWSL Shield.
Of course, it would have been even better if San Diego lost. Nevertheless, Gotham FC can thank Angel City for beating the Spirit on the road. In fact, fans can be grateful to the California side and thank them when they come to New Jersey on Sunday.
At this point in time, the Shield is the NJ/NY side's to lose. Only a massive slip up could see San Diego or Washington steal it instead. What Angel City did was not only great for their chase to climb up the table before the postseason, but it is also extremely helpful for the first-place side.
Nevertheless, that gratitude should be short-lived, since they are Gotham's next opponent. It is vital that the Bats come out on top in their next meeting. They also want to do better than the previous game that ended in a draw. Moreover, Angel City is currently on a six-game unbeaten run, meaning that their current form will not make this an easy matchup.
Thankfully, no matter what happens, the California team helped out Gotham FC by beating Washington. Still, the Bats would like to win at home in front of their fans.
