The former FC Barcelona player Asisat Oshoala scored this morning the first goal in the history of Bay FC, the new franchise of the NWSL, the league in the United States. The Nigerian’s goal helped the San Francisco team add its first victory against Angel City in the first game of the regular season.
“My career has always been about making history and I am very happy to be part of the history at this club,” Oshoala said after the game. The African forward left Barça in the winter market to join the new NWSL project.
The Nigerian has been elected African Player of the Year six times and was also the first African to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2022. In February her signing for Bay FC, a club founded by former American stars Brandi Chastain, Aly Wagner, Danielle Slaton and Leslie Osborne.
Madrid coach Fran Alonso’s Houston Dash also debuted with victory, beating the North Carolina Courage 5-1. Celia Jiménez’s Orlando Pride, who was a substitute, failed to get past a draw (2-2) in their debut against Racing Louisville.
The Washington Spirit of Adrián González, interim coach until the arrival of Jonatan Giráldez starting this summer, had worse luck. The match against the Reign, in their first season without the legendary Megan Rapinoe, was decided by a penalty goal by Bethany Balcer in the 3rd minute of the match. The Spirit’s equalizer in the 69th minute was disallowed after a video review for a foul by Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey. The Washington team was left with 10 players in added time, after their goalkeeper, Aubrey Kingsbury, was sent off for catching a ball outside the limits of her area.
For their part, the current Gotham FC champions of Juan Carlos Amorós and Jesús Botello will not make their league debut until next week. Last Friday, they lost the Challenge Cup, the equivalent of a Super Cup, against Alex Morgan’s San Diego Wave.
