Yazmeen Ryan scores lone goal and Gotham defeats the Royals to clinch an NWSL playoff spot

HARRISON, N.J. (AP) — Yazmeen Ryan scored in the third minute to help Gotham defeat the Utah Royals 1-0 on Sunday and clinch a playoff spot.

Gotham (13-4-4) started things early at Red Bull Arena when Lynn Williams cut the ball across the goal for Ryan to finish with her first touch.

Williams now has 30 career regular-season assists, just one behind the record jointly held by Jess McDonald and Sofia Huerta.

Utah (4-14-3) had a few opportunities to equalize in the first half, but Gotham’s defense blocked two close-range shots.

Goalkeeper Mandy Haught made nine saves, including six in the first half, to keep her team in the match. They couldn’t find an equalizer, and the Royals fell to last place with the loss.

Gotham joined the Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit, and Kansas City Current as the only teams to clinch playoffs spots. Five games remain in the National Women’s Soccer League season, with eight teams advancing to the postseason.

Gotham defender Kelley O’Hara was placed on the season-ending injury list before Sunday’s match due to chronic knee degeneration. O’Hara, a two-time Women’s World Cup winner, Olympic gold medalist and two-time NWSL champion, announced in May that she would retire at the end of this season.

O’Hara and Gotham will be honored at the White House on Monday, Sept. 23, for the club’s 2023 NWSL Championship victory, marking the first invitation in the league’s history. The ceremony will feature Gotham players, staff, ownership, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman, and President Joe Biden.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer