Photo Courtesy of Angel City Football Club.
Taylor Lussi (center) scored her first goal in an Angel City FC shirt on Saturday afternoon.
For all the fanfare and anticipation for Angel City’s first season in NWSL, it is still important to know that Angel City is a new team looking to establish rhythm and chemistry on the field.
On Saturday afternoon at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Stadium, playing against an OL Reign side featuring the likes of Rose Lavelle, Alana Cook, and Megan Rapinoe, though she didn’t play in the match, the Seattle-based side still displayed the qualities that earned them a two-two finish in 2021. Lavelle led the way with her creativity on offense, as she had a hand in all three of the Reign’s goals, and they went on to the 3-1 win over Angel City.
“I was really proud of the team,” Angel City’s Simone Charley said. “Obviously not the result we wanted, but jus the effort we gave, the energy that we kept, I’m really proud of the team.”
Cook, Veronica Latsko, and Angelina had the goals for OL Reign, who also benefitted from having the player advantage starting from the 31st minute. Angel City’s Savannah McCaskill was red-carded when her tackle on Latsko while trying to maintain possession for Angel City was judged by the head referee to be too harsh. Still, head coach Freya Coombe saw the situation unfolding in the match as an opportunity to see how her team could respond to facing adversity.
“Days like today are absolutely brilliant in terms of bringing the team together,” Coombe said. “The adversity we faced today certainly, they certainly did that, the performance was a lot better than last week. In terms of performance and process, we took two big steps forward today.
Angel City opened the match blazing on offense, but could not get anything through, as keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce stopped shots by Taylor Lussi and McCaskill. OL Reign then took control of the match inside a five-minute span. Rose Lavelle dribbled though the center lane of the field in the 13th minute and into the penalty are, then played a ball forward to Latsko on the left side, and Latsko’s shot beat keeper Did Haracic into the back net for the Reign’s first goal. OL Reign then made a two-goal game in the 18th minute, as Angelina crossed a ball into the penalty area, Cook charged in and managed to head a shot towards goal, the shot went through Haracic’s hands and crossed the goal line and just like that, OL Reign had a two-goal lead.
Falling behind two goals was tough enough for Angel City, but what happened in the 31st minute made the situation worse. Savannah McCaskill, attempting to maintain possession for Angel City, slid to keep the ball away from Latsko, McCaskill tackle however caught Latsko and brought her down to the ground, and the referee made the decision to issue a straight red card to McCaskill.
I think she’s got the ball clean,” Coombe said of the play. “There is a collision there, but Sav is already grounded, her left knee is down on the floor, her right knee is on top of the ball in winning it, I don’t know what else you can say.”
Seattle added to its lead in the 51st minute. Lavelle led the way again for OL Reign, as she played a ball to Latsko, who then took the shot for the back post. The shot got past Haracic, but Angelina ensured OL Reign’s third goal of the match when she swooped in and fired the shot into the back net.
Angel City was able to prevent the shutout in the 67th minute, as Jasmyne Spencer dribbled down the right side of the field, played a ball to Charley inside the penalty area, Charley dribbled towards the end line, played a cross backwards towards the penalty area and Lussi came in and buried the sitter into the back net.
“Any goal I score is a team goal,” Lussi said. “That goal started from the back with Jasmyne Spencer beating her defender so many times, then Simone getting it and crossing it in. It was a simple ball, and I may have had the last touch when it went into the back of the goal, but it didn’t start from me.”
Angel City also got a boost from Simone Charley, who came in as a substitute in the second half and aside from the assist to Lussi’s goal, provided plenty of dangerous moments on offense to keep Angel City a threat on offense despite the goal deficit and being down a player.
“I just wanted to get in and bring some energy to the team,” Charley said. “I just wanted to come in and bring as much energy and as much encouragement as I can.”
Angel now hits the road for the first time, starting with a Wednesday night trip to Portland to face the Thorns.
Angel City FC
OL Reign
