Club enters final week of regular season above playoff line, in eighth place in the NWSL standings
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Oct. 19, 2024) – Bay FC defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0 on Saturday night at PayPal Park. Late heroics by Abby Dahlkemper sent a strong crowd of 14,901 home happy on Fan Appreciation Night as the club put in the lone score of the match with just seven minutes remaining.
Deadlocked at 0-0 with less than 10 minutes left, Bay FC broke through in the 83rd minute. After a foul by North Carolina provided a set play opportunity, a free kick taken by Racheal Kundananji was played into the box, where Dahlkemper put it over the line for her first goal since her NWSL debut for the club on August 30 at Portland. With the victory, Bay FC ties the NWSL record for wins by an expansion club in its debut season (10) and remains above the playoff line with one game remaining in the regular season.
Playoff Picture
Bay FC enters the final week of the 2024 NWSL Regular season in eighth place in the table on 31 points. A win or draw over the Houston Dash on November 2 would secure Bay FC a playoff berth. FULL STANDINGS.
Goal-Scoring Plays
BAY – Dahlkemper 83rd minute: Foul by North Carolina gives Bay FC a free kick just outside the penalty box. Racheal Kundananji takes the free kick and serves a cross, tapped in on the volley by Dahlkemper.
Notes:
- The 1-0 result marked Bay FC’s sixth clean sheet of the 2024 season.
- Bay FC and North Carolina Courage’s first matchup on September 13 ended in a 1-1 draw, Bay FC’s only draw of the 2024 season entering Saturday’s match.
- Across the club’s 13 home matches in NWSL play, 177,297 fans visited PayPal Park.
- Tess Boade and Racheal Kundananji’s appearances marked each player’s return to the starting XI after missing the club’s last match vs. Kansas City Current.
- Penelope Hocking earned her second consecutive start for Bay FC, her fourth for the club since coming over from the Chicago Red Stars.
- Abby Dahlkemper’s 83rd minute goal was her 3rd of the season and second with Bay FC. Her last score came on August 30 at Portland.
- Racheal Kundananji’s assist of Abby Dahlkemper marked her first assist since August 30 at Portland Thorns, a 3-1 victory over the Thorns.
Next Match
Bay FC will be out of action next weekend for the international break, but returns to the pitch on Saturday, November 2 to take on Houston Dash at Shell Energy Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. PDT on ION.
Bay FC (10-14-1, 31 pts) vs. North Carolina Courage (12-3-10, 39pts) – NWSL Regular Season
Oct. 19, 2024 – PayPal Park (San Jose, Calif.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Bay FC 0 1 1
NC Courage 0 0 0
Scoring Summary: BAY – Dahlkemper (Kundananji) 83
Misconduct Summary: BAY – Pickett 23 NC – Hopkins 90+2
Lineups:
BAY: GK Rowland, D Dydasco, D Dahlkemper, D Menges ©, D Malonson, M Pickett (Moreau 90), M Bailey, M Boade, F Kundananji, F Oshoala (Hill 66), F Hocking
Substitutes Not Used: GK Silkowitz, King, Beattie, Brewster, Castellanos, Shepherd, Anderson,
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Kundananji, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Oshoala, 2); FOULS: 16 (Pickett, 6); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 2
NCC: GK Murphy, D Berkely, D Sanchez (Speck 68), D Kurtz, D Williams, M Jackson (Miura 68), M Weatherholt (Rauch 79), M Kerolin (St-Georges 79), M O’Sullivan, M Matsukubo, F Wingate (Hopkins 85)
Substitutes Not Used: Gomes, Hancuff, Mclean, Lussi
TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Windgate, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Two players tied, 1); FOULS: 8 (Two players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 3
Referee: Elijio Arreguin
Assistant Referees: Melissa Gonzalez, Seth Martin
Fourth Official: Robert Vincze
Weather: Sunny, 79 degrees
Attendance: 14,901
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
