Brooklyn FC Secures Narrow Win Over Tampa Bay Sun in Gainbridge Super League Women’s Season Opener

Brooklyn Football (FC) allowed a goal in extra time, cutting its lead to 2-1 midway through the period.

But the club played lock down defense the rest of the way to secure the one-goal win over Tampa Bay Sun FC (0-1), as it kicked off the 2025-26 USL Gainbridge Super League Women’s season Saturday night at Maimonides Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

Brooklyn FC head coach Tomás Tengarrinha said that his team sported an intelligent brand of defense, drawing Tampa Bay, last year’s league champions, offsides eight or nine times during the match, according to the coach.

In addition, he said in took a whole team effort to execute the game plan and pull out the exciting victory.

“I think the players–they are very smart. They know we had a plan, and they believed that it was possible (to win),” Tengarrinha said. “Congrats to the players. They did an amazing job.”

As good as the win was, the Lisbon, Portugal, native took the victory in stride, saying Brooklyn FC (1-0) still has a lot of work to do before they can pop the proverbial champagne, as it just one triumph in a long season.

“Mostly the spirit,” he said of the ladies’ driving force that helped them pull out the victory. “But come on, it’s just three points. We just need to keep our feet on the floor. They have been doing a great job. They have been putting in a great effort in to trying to understand me, because sometimes I’m a little bit…difficult. But they’re amazing girls. But it was what I said, it’s just three points.”

Brooklyn FC forward Catherine Zimmerman broke through with the first goal of the match with a blast for the 1-0 advantage at the 55:38 mark of the first half.

Zimmerman said the team had already formed a tight bond going into the match, something that helped propel the squad to victory over the Tampa Bay.

“I think, to be honest, we’ve already gelled. I think we’re a pretty together team,” she said. “I think we showed that tonight. But all (through) the pre-season we’ve been, I think that’s been our driving factor. Just being together on and off the field, just having a bond is super special. And I think, we showed that (tonight).” 

Up next was center-back Annie Williams, who headed the ball by Sun goalkeeper Sydney Schneider for a two-goal lead at 72-minute mark of the affair.

Midfielder Carlee Giammona, a University of Alabama alum, beat goalie Breanna Norris to make Brooklyn FC sweat a little bit before closing out the match for the win.

Brooklyn FC travels to Dallas Trinity FC on Saturday, August 30th at 8:30 p.m. at Cotton Bowl Stadium.

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— Jerry Del Priore