Photo courtesy of NWSL.
Christen Press’ first half goal was all Angel City needed to get its first ever road win.
It was going to come sooner or later for Angel City FC.
Playing on the road in the regular season for the first time ever, Angel City faced a tough task, as they made the 3,000 mile trip east to for a showdown with the reigning NWSL champion Washington Spirit. Angel City however showed some spirit of their own, as Christen Press tallied her first regular season goal for Angel City, and she and her teammates relied on a strong defensive effort throughout the match to pull off the upset, as Angel City left Audi Field with the 1-0 decision.
“It’s important for us, we’ve got to try and compete every game and everywhere we go,” Angel City head coach Freya Coombe said. “I think we gave a very good account of ourselves after last week. We were hurting as a team from that and it was important for us to go and put our best foot forward.”
Press edged Angel City ahead in the 42nd minute. Vanessa Gilles sent a long ball to Press on the left side, Press brought the ball down, then simply raced past Morgan Goff and dribbled into the penalty area, Press then curled a shot attempt that beat keeper Aubrey Kingsbury and tucked in at the far post net to give Angel City its first lead on the road in any competition.
“It was a tough week and I’m really proud of the team,” Press said. “Both of the matches in the league that we’ve won have been such team wins, so much effort from all the players on both sides of the ball.”
Angel City didn’t let its foot off the pedal, and came close to tallying a second goal as the first half went into stoppage time, as Jun Endo fired a left-footed volley from about 29 yards out, but the shot just missed the far post, though just by inches, and Kingsbury did have to dive to ensure the ball didn’t get close to goal. Angel City kept up the pressure into the second half, getting its first chance of the second half just three minutes in, as Endo sent a left-footed cross towards the top of the six-yard box and Gilles overcame Samantha Staab’s defense to head a ball towards goa, though Kingsbury easily made the save. Angel City’s best chance to double its lead however came in the 55th minute, as Jasmyne Spencer sprung Savannah McCaskill down the right side of the field, McCaskill then chipped a ball just outside the penalty area, and it was dangerous and on target, but Kingsbury managed to stretch herself to parry the ball away from goal with her left hand and the ball ended up going over the end line.
While Angel City certainly came to play in its first trip to the nation’s capital, Washington certainly had some chances of their own to get on the board. The Spirit’s first chance came when Anna Heilferty crossed into the penalty area, Trinity Rodman headed a ball that deflected of Angel City’s Tyler Lussi and bounced inside six, though keeper Didi Haracic calmly collected the ball. Washington had another chance in the 35th minute, as Ashley Hatch sprung Heilferty from the left, Heilferty touched into the penalty and sent a ball for the far post, but no other Spirit players were nearby and the ball went out of bounds. Washington’s best chance to equalize in the second half came in the 78th minute, as Emily Sonnett crossed into the penalty area and Staab took the right-footed shot near the penalty spot, but it missed the back post.
“The result was very physical and transitional, especially with the weather,” Lussi said, referring to when the bright sun that was evident in the first half gave way to dark clouds and heavy rain late in the match. “The ball was skidding and sliding, but we handled it very well and made it into the game well while sticking together.”
Angel City returns home next Saturday to host the Kansas City Current.
Angel City FC
Washington Spirit
