Harrison, New Jersey (Saturday, August 23, 2025) – Utah Royals FC (1-11-5, 8 points, 14th NWSL) recorded a 0-0 draw on the road against Gotham FC (5-6-6, 21 points, 8th NWSL), securing its second straight shutout thanks to a strong defensive effort and standout goalkeeping.
Saturday night’s showdown saw Utah Royals head coach Jimmy Coenraets utilize the same starting XI from last Friday’s goalless draw against Angel City FC at home. Recent improvements over the last three games have breathed new life into a Royals team that struggled to threaten opponents in the first half of the season, including the return of several injured players to the fold.
The first 25 minutes of the opening half were evenly contested, with neither side able to assert control in midfield. The open play in the center of the pitch created spaces that both teams looked to exploit in attack. Each team had spurts of possession but few goal-scoring opportunities were created due to the rigid defending displayed by both clubs.
The first key moment came with the Royals pressing in New York’s final third. Claudia Zornoza, positioned well outside the box, delivered a curling cross with her left foot toward Brecken Mozingo. As Mozingo rose to meet it with her head, she collided heavily with Gotham’s goalkeeper, leaving the keeper down for several minutes before eventually returning to her feet and resuming play.
The latter stages of the first half turned more tactical, with both sides slowing the tempo to control possession, build from the back, and probe for ways to break through the defense. Seven minutes were added to the end of the half, and three minutes in, the Royals earned a dangerous free kick in search of the opening goal. Zornoza’s swinging delivery once again troubled the opposing defense, which struggled to clear its lines. After a flurry of attempts from both sides to make contact, the ball fell to Aisha Solorzano at the top of the box. She struck it first-time, but her effort rattled off the crossbar, denying the Guatemalan a potential breakthrough, leaving the match scoreless as the teams headed into the second half.
Continuing the upward trend since returning to league action after the summer break, the Utah club closed the first half with its fourth consecutive first-half shutout, further showcasing the strong form of defenders such as Kate Del Fava and Kaleigh Riehl, dating back to the impressive 1-1 draw at Orlando against the Pride on August 3.
The second half opened in favor of the home side, which generated two quick attacks within the first five minutes. Goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn came up big during this stretch for the Royals, making a diving save to keep the net secure and deflect the ball out for a corner. Seven minutes later, McGlynn repeated her heroics, once again making a decisive impact on the score of the game.
Momentum shifted from the Royals’ strong first-half performance to Gotham’s advantage, as it began to find ways to trouble the visitors, edging closer to opening the scoring with each attack. With less than 10 minutes remaining, Gotham launched a quick counterattack, forcing the Royals to scramble defensively. Outnumbered, a Gotham attacker managed a powerful shot on goal, but McGlynn produced a fantastic save, cementing her performance as worthy of the player of the match honors.
Both teams’ coaches attempted to shift the dynamics of the game with multiple substitutions throughout the second half, using all available changes; however, the stalemate proved too difficult to break, earning the Royals its second straight goalless draw.
The Utah Royals will look to extend its three-game unbeaten run when it faces the Portland Thorns in its second leg of a three-game road stretch on August 29 at Providence Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. MT.
GFC 0 : 0 UTA
LINEUPS:
Utah Royals FC (4-2-3-1): Mandy McGlynn; Imani Dorsey, Kate Del Fava, Kaleigh Riehl, Nuria Rábano; Claudia Zornoza (Ana Tejada, 83’), Aria Nagai (Dana Foederer, 59’); Paige Monaghan © (Bianca St-Georges, 76’), Mina Tanaka, Brecken Mozingo (Cloé Lacasse, 59’); Aisha Solórzano (Janni Thomsen, 59’)
Subs not used: Mia Justus, Lauren Flynn, Madison Pogarch, KK Ream
Head Coach: Jimmy Coenraets
Gotham FC (4-3-3): Ann-Katrin Berger; Mandy Freeman © (Bruna Santos Nhaia 79’), Emily Sonnett, Jess Carter, Lilly Reale; Rose Lavelle (Sofia Cook, 78’), Jaelin Howell, Sarah Schupansky (Taryn Torres, 78’); Gabi Portilho (Khyah Harper, 87’), Esther González, Katie Stengel (Geyse Da Silva Ferreira, 55’)
Subs not used: Shelby Hogan, Josefine Hasbo, Nealy Martin, Kayla Duran
Head Coach: Juan Carlos Amorós
Stats Summary: GFC / UTA
Possession: 51 / 49
Shots: 18 / 5
Shots on Goal: 7 / 1
Corner Kicks: 11 / 2
Fouls: 13 / 14
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
UTA: Cloé Lacasse (Yellow Card - 61’)
UTA: Nuria Rábano (Yellow Card - 79’)
UTA: Kate Del Fava (Yellow Card - 90 +1’)
