Overview:

Midge Purce scored her third goal in five matches, and Sam Kerr became Gotham FC’s all-time leading regular-season scorer as the hosts topped the Kansas City Current, 2-1, in a physical affair at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Friday night.

Sam Kerr connected for the game-winning goal in the 41st minute. (Bob Plant Photo)

Midge Purce scored her third goal in five matches, and Sam Kerr became Gotham FC’s all-time leading regular-season scorer as the hosts topped the Kansas City Current, 2-1, in a physical affair at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Friday night.

Gotham FC overcame an early one-goal deficit, scoring both of its goals in the first half, before a crowd of 9,622.

Gotham FC’s first regular-season win over Kansas City in club history created a seven-point gap atop the National Women’s Soccer League standings, between first-place Gotham FC and second-place Washington, which plays Angel City on Sunday evening.

“Going a goal down so early, the team showed real character – I can’t speak highly enough of them,” acting Gotham FC head coach Shaun Harris said. “The response that they showed, to stick to the game plan, not waver, not break down, and just keep plugging away and to get the result back so early … It could have been a few more (goals), but I’m really pleased with the performance, really pleased with the attitude and commitment from every single player.”

Gotham FC (13-3-4, 43 points) extended its unbeaten streak to eight games and won its third consecutive game after conceding first. Its 24 points from 11 home matches make the NWSL’s top home record. Harris’s team has only conceded six goals in those games.

Kansas City (9-8-3, 30 points) put Gotham FC on the back foot early when Amelia White tucked in a low effort past goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger just 22 seconds into the game.

From there, it was all Gotham FC, which outshot Kansas City, 16-5, and produced 2.72 expected goals. A second-half goal from Jaelin Howell, which would have been the third of the night, was disallowed when the officials determined Kerr was in an offside position as she moved toward Howell’s shot.

Starting Gotham FC’s comeback, Purce tallied the equalizer in the 13th minute, tucking in a low shot to the left corner after Jaedyn Shaw’s free-kick delivery was knocked to Purce’s feet. It was her second goal from a set piece this season and first score at home.

Kerr netted the game-winner in the 31st minute, redirecting Shaw’s weighted pass past goalkeeper Marisa Jordan for her 31st regular-season goal with Gotham FC. The Australian striker became the first player in NWSL history to reach 80 regular-season goals.

I feel like the chemistry is just growing between really all of us, and especially me and her as well this game,” Shaw said. “We’re just going to continue to build off of it and just go over things with each other and keep growing in that aspect.”

Until this season, Gotham FC wasn’t exactly known as a comeback crew in its recent history. The team was 2-20-4 in its previous 26 matches after conceding the first goal. The team has won three in a row this season when conceding first.

After the second, Gotham’s defense denied KC a goal.

“It’s a full team effort, really,” defender Tierna Davidson said. “The way that we defend, it is not just the back four, the back five. It is truly a full 11 effort. As a defender, I take great pride in that. The backline takes great pride in that. But also, it is from front to back that we require everybody on the team to execute their role really well. We’re really good at that. We’re willing to put in the work, and you see our forwards tracking back when they need to and clearing the ball.”

Gotham FC heads to the West Coast to face Angel City FC at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 8 p.m. ET.