When you’ve watched enough soccer, there are those games that seem destined to be 0-0 draws, and Bay FC’s nil-nil tie against the Utah Royals had all the hallmarks of such a game.
Bay FC had one shot on target for the game, and Utah had two shots on target. In the end, neither side seemed likely to claim the full three points in a Mother’s Day matinee at PayPal Park.
But a quiet game on the pitch, with Bay FC earning a point, seemed like a step in the right direction compared to previous seasons when the club would’ve given away all three points late in the game. It shows the team’s determination to rebound from last season’s dismal campaign and once again find themselves playing in the NWSL postseason.
“There’s been a huge focus on what we need to do in the last 10 to 15 [minutes] to secure our results,” explained Bay FC winger Sydney Collins. “I think it’s a credit to the girls that have come off the bench and have brought so much energy and executed their roles, and just the importance of every single member of our team.”
Afterward, Bay FC head coach Emma Coates also highlighted the positives from the match against a club that had won five games in a row.
“I always think when you draw a game, you come off the side of like, too harsh.” said Coates. “You can either steal a point or add a point. And I think we were disappointed not to get three points to be honest.”
According to game statistics, Bay FC had a 0.29 expected-goals score, while Utah had 1.20. Both teams had eight shots for the game, but seven of Utah’s shots were in the penalty box, while Bay FC had only two from inside the box.
The hero of the match for the home side was Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz. She had two fine saves in the second half to keep Utah off the board.
In the 67th minute, Bay FC defender Aldana Cometti misplayed a ball in the back, allowing Utah Royals Paige Monaghan to take it off her and go one-on-one with Silkowitz. Fortunately, the shot went right to the well-positioned Silkowitz, who pushed the ball away from goal and smothered it.
Then, in the 89th minute, Monaghan was sprung free running towards goal, but Silkowitz was once again well-positioned to save her shot.
“Jordan’s playing with such confidence at the minute, and I’m a big believer that she’s even nowhere near her peak, yet she’s already playing so so well,” noted Coates.
After the final whistle, Silkowitz accentuated the positives for Bay FC, especially with the last-place Boston Legacy coming to PayPal Park on Friday night.
“Obviously, we would love to get three points, but back-to-back clean sheets is obviously huge for us,” noted Silkowitz. “We’re taking the things that didn’t go well, work on those, and continue to build on things that did into Friday against Boston.”
