Despite enjoying a player advantage for the final 26 minutes of the match, NJ/NY Gotham FC was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw with the Washington Spirit in the 2022 Challenge Cup in Leesburg, Va. on Friday night.

Washington dominated the game between National Women’s Soccer League teams, outshooting the visitors, 29-8, and playing 10 shots on target compared to only two for Gotham FC before a crowd of 3,400 of Segra Field.

Gotham grabbed a 23rd-minute lead as Kristie Mewis converted a penalty kick after she was fouled in the box.

The Spirit pushed the action in the second half and it paid off in the 61st minute as Ashley Hatch buried an Ashley Sanchez feed.

Three minutes later, however, Washington was forced to play with 10 players after Amber Brooks was awarded her second yellow card of the match.

The hosts came close to scoring as Hatch and Tara McKeown sent shots just wide on crosses from Trinity Rodman in the 72nd minute and Kelley O’Hara in the 74th minute, respectively. Gotham goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris stopped another shot from Hatch in the 75th minute.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.