Carli Lloyd will be able to say goodbye to her hometown fans. (Matthew Levine/Outfoxed Photos)
HARRISON, N.J. – Fans from her hometown and the Philadelphia area will be able to say goodbye to Carli Lloyd at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa. when NJ/NY Gotham FC hosts the Washington Spirit Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The match marks the first NWSL game played in the Philadelphia area. The matchup will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network for U.S.-based viewers and Twitch internationally.
Lloyd hails from Medford, N.J. in the southern part of the state.
Gotham decided to move the National Women’s Soccer League game from Red Bull Arena to Chester because the U.S. women’s national team standout has but a few games remaining in her career.
Gotham FC has a two-game unbeaten streak following a scoreless draw against the Chicago Red Stars at home Sept. 4, prior to the league’s international break. The Jersey returned to beat the North Carolina Courage 3-1 on Sept. 25. The win – Gotham FC’s fourth at Red Bull Arena this season – featured three unanswered goals from the home side, including a Lloyd penalty kick and goals by Margaret Purce and Paige Monaghan. The victory also marked the second result under the leadership of head coach Scott Parkinson and assistant Beverly Goebel Yanez.
The Spirit enter the match off a 2-1 win at home against Kansas City Sept. 26. Prior to the win, Washington picked up a pair of 0-3 losses at the hands of the Portland Thorns and OL Reign. D.C. currently occupy the #6 spot in the NWSL standings, having collected 26 points behind a 7-7-5 record.
Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit did not play their scheduled matches Saturday after the league announced all games would be postponed in the wake of the Paul Riley scandal.
The teams sides have only met once in the regular season: a 3-2 Gotham FC win at Segra Park July 18. After the Spirit’s Samantha Staab was sent off in the opening minutes, Trinity Rodman opened the scoring for Washington. Gotham FC’s Nahomi Kawasumi and McCall Zerboni scored off corner kicks before halftime, giving the visitors the lead until a set piece from Ashley Sanchez evened the score. Purce answered in the 76th minute, scoring the game-winning goal for Gotham FC off a cross from Ifeoma Onumonu.
Gotham FC will travel to face the Orlando Pride on Saturday, before continuing the road campaign at North Carolina and Kansas City later this month. Gotham FC will cap off its 2021 regular season at Red Bull Arena against Racing Louisville FC Oct. 31.