Asisat Oshoala scores, makes HISTORY in her Bay FC debut
Asisat Oshoala made history by scoring the first goal for Bay FC as they kicked off their inaugural season in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) with a 1-0 victory over Angel City on Sunday.
Oshoala found the back of the net in the 17th minute after receiving a pass from Bay FC’s Tess Boade in the box. With her first touch, Oshoala struck the ball into the upper right corner, securing the historic goal for her team.
Reflecting on her achievement, Oshoala expressed her joy at being part of Bay FC’s history, stating, “My career has always been about making history, and I am very happy to be a part of the history at this club.”
Bay FC acquired Oshoala from Barcelona during the offseason. The Nigerian forward, who has been named African Player of the Year six times, has previously made significant strides in women’s soccer. She became the first African nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2022 and is also the first Nigerian to score in three Women’s World Cups.
Despite Angel City’s efforts to respond in front of their home crowd at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Bay FC goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx stood strong, making eight saves to secure a shutout in her NWSL debut. Additionally, a shot that managed to beat Proulx was cleared off the line by defender Caprice Dydasco in the 91st minute.
Co-founded by former national team players Brandi Chastain, Aly Wagner, Danielle Slaton, and Leslie Osborne, Bay FC was named the NWSL’s 14th team last year. Alongside Bay FC, the Utah Royals also joined the league this season.
In another match on Sunday, the Seattle Reign secured a 1-0 victory against the Washington Spirit, with Bethany Balcer scoring the lone goal in the third minute. Despite a spirited effort from the Spirit, the Reign maintained their lead, with goalkeeper Claudia Dickey making key saves throughout the match.
The Spirit faced additional challenges toward the end of the game, as they were reduced to 10 players following a red card shown to goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury after a video review determined she had handled the ball outside the box.
