Racheal Kundananji, fresh off representing Zambia at the Paris Olympics, scored in the 83rd minute but Bay FC’s comeback attempt fell short in a 2-1 away loss to the Utah Royals on Friday night.
In a matchup between NWSL expansion teams, Bay FC conceded two goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half and then had to rally for the remainder of the match. Bay FC (6-11-0) was unable to find an equalizer despite taking 19 shots against the Royals (3-11-3) before an announced crowd of 14,539 in Sandy, Utah. It was the first league game for both teams after a six-week Olympic break.
“This one hurts,” Bay FC coach Albertin Montoya said after the game. “I mean, they all hurt, but this one we deserved more than we got.”
Despite the loss, Bay FC maintained its position in the eighth and final NWSL playoff spot. The team has seven more regular-season games ahead, including matches against Portland (fifth place), Louisville (ninth place), North Carolina (sixth place) and Orlando (first place) in the coming weeks. But first, Bay FC will play a friendly match against FC Barcelona Femení on Tuesday night at PayPal Park.
Friday’s game was the team’s first league match since a 3-0 loss to Washington Spirit on July 6. The team beat Mexico’s Club America 2-1 on Aug. 2 in a Summer Cup match.
Both teams attempted eight shots on goal in a goalless first half.
Bay FC had six corner kicks in the first half and had a chance to take the lead in the 13th minute of the match. Kundananji capitalised on a loose ball following a Utah corner kick and sparked a Bay FC counterattack. Kundananji gave Tess Boade space as she ran down the right side, but Boade’s shot went wide of the left post.
Utah took the lead three minutes into the second half on a long-range shot from Paige Monaghan, then went up 2-0 on an own goal just six minutes later.
Kundananji headed in Rachel Hill’s cross to reduce the deficit to 2-1 in the 83rd minute. It was her third goal of the season. Bay FC almost found the equaliser in the dying seconds of second-half stoppage time, but her final shot of the match was cleared off the goal line.
The Royals are now unbeaten in three straight games and have moved up from the bottom of the league standings. Two of their three league wins have come against Bay FC, including a 1-0 victory in San Jose in mid-June.
“Now we just have to get back to it,” Montoya said. “But like I always said, with this team we like to make things harder on ourselves and make things tougher for ourselves, but somehow we find a way, and I know they will.”
Originally Posted: August 24, 2024 at 7:37 am
