Bay FC's frustrating shutout loss to Orlando leaves them searching for ways to finish
The second half of Bay FC's 1-0 loss to Orlando on Friday night epitomized much of what this season has felt like: lots of chances, lots of almosts, but never quite getting over the hump.
Bay FC took 12 shots in the last 20 minutes, including some point-blank chances, but never equalized with the defending NWSL champions.
With a season-high 20 shot attempts, Bay FC bombarded the defense in front of Orlando (8-1-3) goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, who finished with five saves. Once again, an inability to finish chances proved costly for the second-year club.
Bay FC (4-3-5) have yet to score more than two goals in a game this season. Friday was the second time they were shut out. Bay FC hadn't lost a game since May 11, but have fallen in the league standings after being securely in playoff position in early May. A 1-0 win over Portland on June 7 gave Bay FC a boost, but they would still like to convert more chances.
'The quality of the chances are dangerous,' Bay FC head coach Albertin Montoya said. 'They're not just hit from random angles. We're creating very dangerous opportunities. It's just execution. We'll continue to work on it.'
In the span of a minute on Friday, Bay FC went from nearly taking a 1-0 lead on the league's second-place squad to surrendering a frustrating tally. Defender Caprice Dydasco slammed a corner kick chance off the crossbar in the 57th minute, then a delayed reaction to a foul on the other end gave the Pride a quick restart.
Orlando's Carson Pickett found the league's leading scorer Barbra Banda, whose shot hit off Bay FC defenders Abby Dahlkemper and Kelli Hubly and past goalkeeper Emmie Allen — who was making her first NWSL start — in the 58th minute.
'Goals are going to happen,' Hubly said. 'You learn from the goal and then move on, because the more you sit there and sulk about it, like this league, it's game after game after game. … It was s—ty, I'm not gonna lie, because I feel like (Orlando) didn't really break us down. So that goal hurt really badly.'
Bay FC's offense activated from there with several chances deep in the box. In the 64th minute, striker Racheal Kundananji took the ball end-to-end, but Orlando goalie Anna Moorhouse deflected her shot. In the 78th minute, forward Penelope Hocking fired into what seemed to be an open net only to be stopped by center back Kylie Nadaner, who had slipped behind Moorhouse. Kundananji missed wide on an open look off the rebound.
Moorhouse stopped a Caroline Conti look at the top of the box in the 82nd minute.
The Pride are tied for the league lead with five shutouts and their eight goals allowed are tied for the fewest in the NWSL. Still, Bay FC's scoring frustrations had been going on long before Friday's defeat.
After a 4-1 loss at Kansas City on May 11, Bay FC responded with wins over Angel City and Portland and a draw in Houston. They led at the 93rd minute before surrendering a tying goal, preventing a nine-point stretch.
Bay FC sit just barely on the outside of the playoff table entering next week's game at Gotham, their last NWSL match until Aug. 2. Montoya has stressed that he wants Bay FC to host a playoff game, which is increasingly more difficult as the league's top four teams — Kansas City, Orlando, Washington and San Diego — pull away from the pack.
Instead, Bay FC find themselves in a similar position to a year ago, needing to climb back into the playoff picture.
'Maybe it's just having the confidence to start games with what that 20-minute (late game) sequence was like,' said rookie midfielder Hannah Bebar. 'Maybe get that late push earlier, have the confidence in the first half. We had a great reaction after we went down, but maybe just creating those chances in the first half.'
Bay FC have already tested much of their depth in the first half. Allen made her first NWSL start on Friday with starting keeper Jordan Silkowitz out sick, the 20th Bay FC player to have made a start this season.
Karlie Lema, who scored her first career goal in the home opener, has scored just one other tally this season. One-time elite scorer Asisat Oshoala is still scoreless this season. Hocking, who leads Bay FC with three goals, is still not getting many starts.
Bay FC's rookies have performed and they've gotten some solid results and have responded well to adversity. But to make that next push, the same issue that's haunted them for a year and a half still needs to be solved: How will they finish their scoring chances?
'We have so many different attacking threats,' Bebar said. 'Switching up (attackers) makes us more unpredictable, which helped us in those last 20 minutes. We can build on that.'
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