Boston Legacy FC
Over 30,000 fans gathered at Gillette Stadium to witness the inaugural game.
Boston Legacy FC goalkeeper Casey Murphy (left) and her teammates protect the net during the second half their loss to Gotham FC on Saturday. MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
March 15, 2026 | 1:09 AM
3 minutes to read
FOXBOROUGH — Nearly three years of anticipation and a roaring announced crowd of 30,207 fans at Gillette Stadium led to some understandable nerves for Boston Legacy FC in the club’s inaugural game.
The Legacy kept it competitive, holding reigning NWSL champion Gotham FC scoreless through the first half, but Esther González’s goal in the 55th minute was the difference in a 1-0 loss.
“I was really proud of the team and how we matched up,” said Ella Stevens, a sixth-year NWSL veteran who joined the Legacy from Gotham as a free agent this offseason. “We have a lot of new players, a lot of players who haven’t played in this league yet. We have a lot of growing to do, but for what we did out there today, I’m really proud of the group. I think all of them showed up.”
The nerves and chaotic moments on the field were to be expected for a team that’s only been training together for eight weeks, but González’s goal seemed to shift something on the field for the Legacy, who settled in and looked much more comfortable on the ball.
The crowd — an NWSL record at an expansion team’s inaugural home opener — made it hard at times for coach Filipa Patão’s players to hear her, but a demanding fan base is exactly the sort of challenge the coach has sought throughout her career.
“It is wonderful to have this type of environment,” Patão said. “What I ask every time in my life as a coach is having this good pressure from outside. Our fans, they want more, and they want to see a good game, a beautiful game, and want to see the team winning.”
The attendance record — and the overall NWSL attendance record of just more than 40,000 — will fall on March 28, when fellow expansion club Denver Summit FC hosts its home opener. The club has sold more than 50,000 tickets for the game at the former Mile High Stadium.
Maybe it was a result of inexperience or nervousness, or energy from the crowd, but officials handed out nine yellow cards to eight different players — five on the Legacy, including two on St-Georges, who was sent off in the 77th minute.
“We knew we were going to bring that fight,” said goalkeeper Casey Murphy. “We’re excited. We have everything to build upon now. We’re just going to learn from moments in this game, and I know our future is bright for this club.”
Physicality is part of soccer, and pressing hard is part of the identity Patão is trying to build among her players. But with a young team, learning to control that physicality will come with time.
“We need to grow in these type of situations,” she said. “Try to control a little bit more with our emotions. Try to control more the game and about the faults and about the physicality of the game.”
Gotham’s Lilly Reale, a Hingham native who grew up attending Patriots games at Gillette, set up González’s goal when she controlled a long ball from Murphy at midfield, made a run to the corner, and sent a cross into the box. St-Georges’ clearance landed right at the feet of González, who buried it.
“I was trying to keep the main thing the main thing, at least leading into the game and during the game, but what an atmosphere,” Reale said.
The Legacy played a possession game and struggled at times to stretch the field, but their best chances came on balls over the top to Aïssata Traoré, a strong and speedy forward.
Traoré, who left the field with the help of two trainers after an apparent injury in the waning minutes of the match, is the first Malian player to sign with an NWSL team and looked eager to prove herself in her first game action. She had the Legacy’s best chance of the first half when she received a ball at the top of the 6-yard box off a corner and fired it just high.
She forced Gotham to double- and triple-team her at times, opening up space on the outside, but the Legacy struggled to recognize and capitalize on it.
“Again, this is the process,” Patão said. “We know that we’re going to be better the next day, we’re going to recognize the space better the next day.”
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