SAN JOSE, California (Sunday, June 16, 2024) Utah Royals FC (2-10-1, 7 pts, 14th NWSL) recorded its second win of the club’s maiden NWSL campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory against Bay FC (4-9-0, 12 pts, 12th NWSL) in a grueling encounter at PayPal Park in San Jose, California on Sunday, June 16th, 2024.
Kate Del Fava proved the unlikely hero from defense with a header for a late goal near the death to record her second goal of the season and also hand URFC its own second win of the 2024 NWSL campaign, and first road win in NWSL history.
The Royals started the game in the ascendancy and the better of both teams with its quick, inventive passing and pressing proving hard for their opponents to come to grips with. In the 16th minute, a through ball played through the heart of the Royals defense found Asisat Oshoala onside and in behind the last defender, under pressure to get the shot away quickly, her subsequent tame effort was well parried away by Mandy Haught. In the aftermath of Haught’s save, the rebound then fell to Rachael Kundananji in front of an open goal inside the penalty box but the striker failed to connect properly and fluffed her lines with the goal gaping.
The hosts began to gradually grow into the game and had another chance in the 24th minute. A lofted cross field ball from the left found Tess Boade just outside the penalty area, who delivered a sublime stepover to get beyond Lauren Flynn and create space before releasing a cheeky outside of the foot shot to try and catch Haught out, but the URFC shot stopper was well positioned to make the save.
Things then took a slightly unfortunate turn for URFC in the first half as Flynn was forced to come off in the 25th minute after failing to shake off an injury sustained minutes earlier in the game.
Utah’s control of the game gradually faded in the first half as the game went on as Bay FC began to gain momentum and continued to encroach and find spaces to exploit in the Royals half. The hosts had another chance, albeit fortuitously, in the 28th minute. Fullback, Caprice Dydasco received the ball in the right half space far up the field and delivered a cross-cum shot attempting to find Oshoala’s run at the back post, but her mishit effort sailed over everyone in the box and clipped the top of the cross bar before going out for a goal kick.
The host’s best chance of the game arrived late in the first half with the halftime whistle looming. A cross from the left found Oshoala heavily marked inside the URFC penalty area but she managed to somehow lay the ball off into the path of Boade for a shot from point blank range which was miraculously saved by Haught.
The Royals, much like the first, started the second half the better of both teams, and had a chance to take the lead early on in the half. In the 56th minute, in the immediate wake of a corner, Zoe Burns assumed possession of the ball and found Dana Foederer just outside the penalty area who allowed the ball roll over to her right before unleashing a fierce right-footed effort which was narrowly tipped over the bar by Katelyn Rowland in goal for the hosts.
Bay FC fashioned another clear opportunity in the 74th minute when a cross from the left by Deyna Castellanos deflected off Del Fava in the penalty area and right into the path of Kundananji from point blank range but the Zambian international blazed her shot right over the bar.
Utah had another chance in the second half, on the transition, when Macey Fraser played Ally Sentnor in behind on the left to deliver a cross into the box for substitute, Hannah Betfort, but the striker was unable to connect properly with the ball and her tame effort was plucked out of the air by Rowland.
The hosts eventually did manage to get on the score sheet in the 84th minute when Kundananji received the ball on the left hand side inside the penalty area before dipping her shoulders and rolling her defender and then planting a curled effort beyond the reach of Haught. However, the Bay FC striker was judged to have wandered offside right before she received the ball, and the goal was chalked off.
In a difficult, grueling encounter, the Royals finally grabbed the goal their performance deserved, through a well taken set piece late in the game in the 89th minute. Having drawn a freekick high up on the left side in the Bay half, Sentnor whipped a sublime, lofted ball into the six yard box to find Del Fava who rose highest above her opponents to power a well placed header past Rowland, and establish a late lead for the Royals. The goal was Del fava’s second of the season, making her the joint top goalscorer on the URFC roster alongside Sentnor. Coincidentally, all of Del Fava’s goals this season have come at crucial times and have all come in games where URFC have gone on to win.
The Royals stood strong and managed to hold out in the aftermath of their goal to deny their opponents any late consolations and hold out for the teams second win of the season and first away win in the club’s history.
The win puts the 2024 Utah Royals season record at 2-10-1. Next up for the Royals is a trip to Inter & Co stadium to take on Orlando Pride on June 21st. Kickoff is at 6:00 PM, MT. Tickets can be found at https://www.rsl.com/utahroyals/tickets/ .
UTA 1 : 0 BAY
GOAL-SCORING SUMMARY:
UTA: Kate Del Fava (Ally Sentnor) 89’: Having drawn a freekick high up on the left side in the Bay half, Ally Sentnor dusted herself off before whipping a sublime, lofted ball into the six yard box to find De Fava who rose highest above her opponents to power a well placed header past Rowland before she had time to react, and establish a late lead for the Royals
LINEUPS:
Utah Royals FC (4-3-3): Mandy Haught; Zoe Burns (A. Merrick, 75’), Kate Del Fava, Ana Tejada, Lauren Flynn M. Pogarch, 25’); M. Fraser, Amandine Henry, Dana Foederer (P. Monaghan, 90’); B. Mozingo (M. Vasconcelos, 75’), Ally Sentnor, Cameron Tucker (Hannah Betfort, 46’)
Subs not used: Cristina Roque, Emily Rose, A. Nyberg, F. Tagliaferri
Bay FC (4-2-3-1): K. Rowland; C. Dydasco, E. Menges, K. Sharples, A. Malonson; K. Pickett, J. Anderson (D. Bailey, 60’); R. Kundananji, T. Boade, R. Hill (S. Camberos, 75’); A. Oshoala (D. Castellanos, 59’)
Subs not used: L. Proulx, J. Beattie, S. King, M. Moreau, J. Shepherd, P. Marfo
Stats Summary: UTA / BAY
Possession: 49% / 51%
Shots: 11 / 9
Shots on Goal: 7 / 4
Saves: 3 / 4
Corner Kicks: 4 / 3
Fouls: 7 / 15
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
UTA: No bookings. 7 total fouls
BAY: J. Anderson (Yellow card, 37’), C. Dydasco (Yellow card, 45’) K. Sharples (Yellow card, 80’), T. Boade (Yellow card, 88’). 15 total fouls
