March 18, (THEWILL)- Asisat Oshoala once again etched her name into the history books on Sunday, netting the inaugural goal for the new National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise Bay FC. The Nigerian forward’s 17th-minute strike proved the difference as Bay defeated Angel City 1-0 on opening day.
The historic moment arrived when Bay’s Tess Boade intercepted a pass before finding Oshoala in the box. With her first touch, the six-time African Player of the Year clinically finished into the top right corner. “Making history has been a constant in my career, and I’m very proud to contribute to Bay FC’s legacy from the start,” Oshoala commented post-match.
Signed from Barcelona in the off-season, Oshoala’s pedigree is undeniable. Along with being the first African nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2022, she is also the first Nigerian to score at three Women’s World Cups. Her quality shone through as Angel City, backed by a sold-out BMO Stadium crowd, continuously threatened but were denied by Bay FC’s outstanding debutant goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx.
Caprice Dydasco’s last-gasp goal-line clearance in the 91st minute capped a dream start for the new NWSL franchise co-founded by Brandi Chastain, Aly Wagner, Danielle Slaton and Leslie Osborne. Alongside fellow expansion team Utah Royals, Bay FC have added two new markets to the rapidly growing league.
With such a fairytale beginning, all eyes will now be on Oshoala and Bay to see if they can maintain this momentum and make an instant impact in their inaugural NWSL campaign.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
