Photo courtesy of NWSL.
Christen Press came through for Angel City from the penalty spot on Sunday evening.
It was a while coming, but it finally happened.
After more than a month of absorbing losses while building team chemistry and getting used to the traits of fellow teammates, Angel City finally got that long-awaited first win in franchise history in its final match of the NWSL Challenge Cup, and they looked like the better side in doing so. Angel City got a goal from Christen Press from the penalty spot, and combined with an in-sync offense that allowed them to maintain possession for good stretches of the match, and Angel City is relishing its first-ever win, a 1-0 result over the Portland Thorns at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Stadium.
“It’s given us a good shift of momentum in terms of where we are, which is critical going into the regular season knowing that we’ve won a game,” Angel City head coach Freya Coombe said. “We’ve been disciplined and organized, showing we can win games.”
While the win won’t do much for Angel City’s prospects in the Challenge Cup, the win does relieve some pressure off the players and the coaching staff and thus gives them some momentum and certainly some good vibes heading into its regular season opener on Friday night against the North Carolina Courage at Banc of California Stadium, a night that will bring with it a level of electricity and festive eagerness for a team making its debut in Downtown Los Angeles.
“I’m soaking in this moment,” Angel City defender Megan Reid said. “I’m excited for this team in terms of what this first win means. I’m mostly pumped for all of the fans that are looking forward to next week.”
The moment finally came for Angel City starting in the 28th minute. Savannah McCaskill sent a free kick into the Thorns penalty area, Portland eventually cleared the ball out of the box, but Reid kept the play alive for Angel City, and she played a ball back into the box, an alert Vanessa Gilles sprinted towards the ball, the Thorns’ Raquel Rodriguez tried to stop Gilles, but ended up clipping her from behind, and the referee eventually signaled for the penalty area, giving Angel City a golden opportunity to take control of the match. Press stepped up to the spot for Angel City and delivered, as she went to the bottom right corner, while keeper Bella Bixby went the other way.
Playing with only its second lead in the NWSL Challenge Cup , Angel City was not keen to rest on its laurels. Angel City had actually pushed across a second goal in the 36th minute, as McCaskill sent a long ball into the penalty area and Gilles headed a shot on goal that went off the hands of Bixby and into the back net. The goal however was waived off, as Gilles was determined to be in an offside position prior to McCaskill’s pass. Still Angel City had plenty of dangerous moments in the match, and while Portland had several dangerous moments of its own, Angel City’s defense and possession came through in key moments to secure the three points.
“The way we defended was consistent throughout the game,” Coombe said. “There were moments where they had a bit more of the ball, but we were organized defensively and really limited their chances. The team, in terms of character and fight, shows their ability to be together as a group has come on massively. The journey that we’ve been on hasn’t been easy, but the team is coming together and is starting to play the style.”
Sunday’s long-awaited win was a welcome moment for Angel City, considering how its last two matches unfolded. Three weeks ago, Angel City went toe-to-toe with in-state rival San Diego City FC, equalizing on two separate occasions, but Wave FC pulled away midway through the second half for the win. However it was its previous match in Seattle last week that was perhaps the most heart-breaking, as Angel City equalized late in the second half against OL Reign and seemed certain to spilt the points and prolong its hopes of advancement, only to see OL Reign steal all three points with a goal at the death.
Photo courtesy of NWSL.
Angel City FC was all smiles after its first win in franchise history.
This time, Angel City was not to be denied, as they were more organized on both sides of the ball. While Angel City did benefit from Portland not having five regulars, including its leading scorer Sophia Smith, out due to COVID protocols, as the old saying in sports goes, you have to play the team in front of you, Angel City did just that, and got the job done.
“I wouldn’t say they are highs and lows, I would say they’re character builders,” Angel City keeper Didi Haracic said of Angel City’s experience in the Challenge Cup. “I would rather go through adversity with the club than let it click right away because I think that’s what builds people.”
With its first win behind them, Angel City can now turn its attention to Friday’s home opener against the Courage. The team has several events lined up throughout the city in the days leading up to the match, which is sure to create a level of excitement and anticipation that will reverberate throughout the city in the days leading up to Friday.
“I think all of us have tried to stay calm about it, but you can’t explain it,”Haracic said. “I think I just want to get there and I’ll talk to you afterward because I want to get there. I’ll let you know how that experience was when it’s all finished.”
Angel City FC
