ACFC Forward Christen Press and Head Coach Alex Straus Discuss Preparation Ahead of Home Match against North Carolina Courage

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NWSL Angel City FC

ACFC Forward Christen Press and Head Coach Alex Straus Discuss Preparation Ahead of Home Match against North Carolina Courage

June 12, 2025 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


LOS ANGELES - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) prepared for their upcoming home match against North Carolina Courage on Saturday, June 14, streaming live on ION (7:00 p.m. PT kickoff). Forward Christen Press and Head Coach Alex Straus were made available to press today to discuss the upcoming match.

ACFC Head Coach Alex Straus

Thoughts on the last match against Chicago Stars FC:

"There were some things that we missed based on what we planned. We had some talks about that going into our post-match analysis from the game. We had high ambitions going in. There were a lot of things going into that game, but I think we had a better team and should have won the game.

"When you see the goals we conceded, especially the first one, it shouldn't have happened. If that goal doesn't happen, the game looks different compared to our opponents. We would've had control."

Thoughts on the upcoming match against North Carolina:

"Yes, we looked at North Carolina, and we are preparing and adapting to do the things that we need to do tactically going into that game.

"The idea of what we're going to do and the way we prepare for each game, is going to be done the way we want to do it for the future, step by step. We want to win the game, we want to have a good performance, but we have to have an understanding of what our opponents are going to do or we will not get any points and will struggle to do anything."

On playing at BMO Stadium for the first time:

"It was a good experience to play at BMO Stadium. It was a crazy atmosphere. We had well over 17,000 fans in attendance but it felt like 100,000 people were in the stands. That was new for me.

"Overall, it was a beautiful stadium and a fantastic experience. I wanted to give everybody a win to go home with. However, we will try again on Saturday to give the best on field experience for our fans."

ACFC Forward, Christen Press

On Saturday's results and first match with Alex as head coach:

"I know everyone would have liked the game to be smoother and more in control, especially with Alex being at BMO Stadium for the first time, where you're fighting to be able to dominate games in a much more controlled way than we have in the past.

"It's the NWSL, it is the Wild West, and we know that every single team is going to be extremely hard to beat. This game was an exact demonstration, in my opinion, of what it's like to play in this league."

"M.A. [Vignola] scored the equalizer beautifully. You could tell by her emotion after the goal, what it meant to her and to this team to be able to step up in that moment and give us what we needed."

On Savy King being at the game and the energy she brings to the club:

"We had the opportunity to see Savy, she visited us at training a couple days before the match. Her and the medical staff orchestrated quite the surprise and we did not know she was going to be there. We were all in a meeting, turned around and she strolled up with her moms. It was truly a beautiful moment and something that I will never forget.

"This has been an experience with Savy that I never could have imagined in a lot of ways. She will be our inspiration, our unifier, and our perspective through this season. If you know Savy, she's such a light. The very first time I met her, I said she has the best smile of any person I've ever seen.

"She's so sweet and joyful, and to have that type of energy after what she's been through is not required or expected of her during this time. She brings that energy because that is who she is."

On coaching transition from Sam to Alex and Sam still being apart of the team:

"I'm sure you've all had the opportunity to speak to Alex. He is a teacher by nature, and so in that way, it does feel like we went back to school because he is extremely nuanced and detailed. He has a strong ideology of how he wants to play and to implement that, it starts with the fundamentals and with creating a common language.

"Our team has a very wide range of ages and experiences, so he's got to find a common language between all of us so that we can understand each other better on the field. The team should be really proud of all that we accomplished under Sam's leadership, and grateful to continue to have Sam on staff for that transition and deep NWSL knowledge."

On Jun Endo returning to the active roster after being out for over a year:

"Jun has got to be one of the most beloved players on Angel City because of the joy and the style that she brings to the game. She has done that since game one at Angel City.

"Having a personal experience with an ACL, I know how hard and complicated it is. Each of our journeys are unique, and for Jun, what I see in her is just the most pure level of fun and joy being back on the pitch.

"We've had the privilege of watching Jun juggling a tennis ball thousands of times, every training session on the sideline as she's gone through this recovery journey. She takes the players through different technical games to work on their first touch, and that type of meticulous training really shows when she comes back into training.

"She looks like she's one of the best players among us, and she also deserves the grace to come back on her own time and at her own pace. From a technical and tactical perspective, she looks like she didn't miss a beat. I'm excited for her to get back on the pitch in the game. We're super grateful for her to be in training and fighting to be back in the squad."

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