VANCOUVER — Gotham FC continued its unbeaten run in the Concacaf W Champions Cup with a convincing 4-1 victory over Vancouver Rise FC Academy on Tuesday night.
The win marked the club’s fifth straight in the competition and extended its all-time record to (7-0-2). Gotham wasted no time in asserting control, opening the scoring just nine minutes into the match. A corner from Sarah Schupansky was not cleared cleanly, and Kayla Duran whipped the ball back into the box. Her cross was met by Josefine Hasbo, who powered home a diving header for her first Gotham goal.
Three minutes later, Gotham doubled its advantage through smooth build-up play on the left wing. Schupansky combined with Lilly Reale to create space, and the defender’s low cross found Katie Stengel in stride. The forward met the pass with a well-taken volley to give Gotham a 2-0 lead. The goal was Stengel’s first since returning for a second stint with the club. It also gave Gotham an early cushion, though Vancouver quickly cut into the lead.
The home side responded midway through the first half to make it 2-1 heading into the break. Anna Bout capitalized on a rebound after the initial shot had struck the post, beating goalkeeper Ryan Campbell in her first professional start. That strike gave Vancouver brief momentum in front of the home crowd. Still, Gotham entered the locker room with the lead intact. With Gotham’s depth showing, Juan Carlos Amorós turned to his bench after halftime to restore control of the match.
Just two minutes into the second half, the Bats reclaimed their two-goal advantage through Esther González. The Vancouver defense mishandled a driven cross from Bruninha down the left flank, and the loose ball fell perfectly for González. The Spanish forward calmly slotted the finish into the bottom corner to make it 3-1. The goal was González’s first of the tournament and her fourth in the competition overall, adding to the three she scored last season. It also continued her strong run of form, as she has now scored in back-to-back matches for Gotham.
Bruninha sealed the result deep into stoppage time, ensuring her side closed out the night in style. Another delivery from Schupansky skipped past several defenders and landed for the Brazilian fullback inside the box. She tucked home the finish to make it 4-1, her second goal of this year’s Champions Cup. Gotham has now scored eight goals in the competition, with seven different players contributing to the tally. The result also marked the fourth time in club history the team has scored four or more goals in a Champions Cup match, underscoring their attacking depth.
Head Coach Juan Carlos Amorós on defending their title in the Concacaf W Champions Cup
“This competition is very important for us. We want Gotham to be known not only in the U.S., but across North America and the Caribbean. As reigning champions, we want to keep it that way. Being champions of the continent is something we take a lot of pride in, and this competition is very special to us. On top of that, it offers incredible rewards — the chance to play in January’s [FIFA] Women’s Champions Cup and then [the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup] in 2028, competing against the best clubs in the world. That’s exactly where we want to be.”
Josefine Hasbo on scoring her first Gotham FC goal and receiving player of the match honors
“It was a great experience, and I’m happy I was able to contribute to the team. This was a very important win for us to advance in the tournament, so I’m pleased with my performance. In both halves, we dominated possession and found different solutions. Credit to Vancouver Rise — they read what we were trying to do, stayed very compact, and were excellent defensively. They posed real challenges for us. Ultimately, we got the win, which was the goal, and now we can move on and focus on the next game this weekend.”
Gotham FC wraps up its three-match road trip on Sunday, September 21, with a pivotal NWSL clash against Bay FC at PayPal Park.
