Bay FC Falls 3-2 in Inaugural Home Opener Vs Houston Dash at Sold-Out PayPal Park Drawing 18,000
Deyna Castellanos, Racheal Kundananji tally first home goals in front of sold-out crowd of 18,000 fans
SAN JOSE, Calif. (March 30, 2024) - Bay FC received goals from Deyna Castellanos and Racheal Kundananji but surrendered a goal deep in second-half stoppage time, falling 3-2 to the Houston Dash in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,000 fans at PayPal Park on Saturday night. Kundananji scored on her NWSL debut, helping level the match in the 93rd minute, but Houston tallied the game-winning goal in the 100th minute through substitute Havana Solaun.
Goal-Scoring Plays
BAY - Deyna Castellanos, 19th minute: Scarlett Camberos dribbled down the left side of the field and played a cross into the center of the box. Asisat Oshoala’s initial shot was blocked by multiple Houston players, but Deyna Castellanos pounced on the loose ball and unleashed a strike into the top left corner of the goal.
HOU - Maria Sanchez (Diana Ordonez), 66th minute: Maria Sanchez delivered a cross from near the left endline back across the face of goal to Diana Ordonez, who converted from close range with a header at the back post.
HOU - Diana Ordonez, 87th minute: Barbara Olivieri played a cross from the right side that took a deflection off a Bay FC player’s arm. Houston was awarded a penalty kick. Lysianne Proulx made the save on Ordonez’s attempt but was unable to secure the ball and Ordonez tracked down the loose ball, finishing near the goal line.
BAY - Racheal Kundananji, 90+3: Kundananji picked up the ball in space, making a run down the right side of the field. She cut back toward the center of the box and sent a pinpoint curling strike just inside the left post.
HOU - Havana Solaun, 90+10: Maria Sanchez played a cross into the box from the left side. Bay FC cleared the ball, but it landed at the feet of Havana Solaun, who sent a swerving shot from the edge of the box into the left corner of the goal.
Notes:
Bay FC played in front a sold-out crowd of 18,000 fans in their inaugural home opener at PayPal Park. It was the largest crowd to see a women’s professional sporting event in the Bay Area, surpassing the record of 16,174 fans who attended a Bay Area CyberRays home game in July 2001.
Tonight’s match marked the first women’s professional soccer game in Bay Area since Sept. 2010 (WPS Championship game).
Bay FC’s first four goals this season have been scored by four different players - Asisat Oshoala, Dorian Bailey, Deyna Castellanos and Racheal Kundananji.
Castellanos scored her first NWSL goal in the match.
Castellanos tallied the first home goal in club history.
Kundananji made her NWSL debut in the match, entering as a substitute in the 61st minute.
Kundananji scored her first goal for the club in her NWSL and Bay FC debut.
Kundananji became the first player from Zambia to play and score in an NWSL match.
Bay FC scored in the first half of all three of their matches. Each of those goals came before the 20th minute.
Joelle Anderson captained the side. Anderson is a native of San Jose and attended Harker School.
Princess made her NWSL debut in the match as a second-half substitute. She is the third player from Ghana to appear in an NWSL match.
Tonight’s game was the first match this season with two second-half stoppage time goals.
Next Match
Following the international break, Bay FC will return home to play host to Seattle Reign FC on Sunday, April 14, at PayPal Park. The April 14 match kicks off at 5 p.m. (Pacific) and features a local television broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area with a streaming option via NWSL+.
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