ACFC Team Captain and Defender Sarah Gorden and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity Discuss Preparation Ahead of Road Match against Washington Spirit

Sports stats



NWSL Angel City FC

ACFC Team Captain and Defender Sarah Gorden and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity Discuss Preparation Ahead of Road Match against Washington Spirit

April 30, 2025 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


LOS ANGELES - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) prepared for their upcoming road match against Washington Spirit at Audi Field on Friday, May 2, airing nationally on Prime Video (5:00 pm PT kickoff). Team captain and defender Sarah Gorden and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity were made available to press today to discuss the match.

Please find quotes from team captain and defender Sarah Gorden and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity below.

ACFC Team Captain and Defender Sarah Gorden

On Savy King's growth as a young defender:

"I'm so impressed with Savy, coming into the center back position and growing in the position every single game. It really impresses me how she tackles, and her defensive vision is incredible. Every single game, she seems to get more comfortable playing center back and the actual role because there's so many different facets of being a center back and where you have to be in your positioning.

"Watching her last game, she was up to the task because Orlando has such a complete attack from Marta to Barbra Banda, to all of their wingers that start and bring in off the bench. She had so many tackles, she shut down so many plays, and I'm really excited to continue to watch her grow.

"She's only a few games in at playing center back in this league, and I can't imagine where she'll be by the end of the season and as her career goes on. I'm super impressed by her and I'm loving getting to play next to her and our connection. It's been really great to see her shine so far."

On her leadership approach after the club's loss to Orlando:

"For so long in that game, there were so many positives and there still are so many positives to take out of it. I thought our back line and our team defense was so dominant. As a captain, it's hard for me because I look at the first goal and I know that I could have done better on it. It changed the momentum of the game. I wear that responsibility as a captain and as a veteran player. Something that has been hard for me to manage as a captain and a leader is taking my responsibility and still holding the team accountable and saying, 'Hey, we can show up better in these ways.'

"In a 3-2 loss, it's weird to have that much hope and excitement about what this young team will be going forward. It's not the first time that we've lost late in Orlando, but it's weird that there's so many positives after a loss, but there truly are.

"Savy is one of those bright spots, great performance from her, and great moments from M.A. [Vignola], and there really are so many positives. It's a weird position to be in right now because there is so much hope and excitement for the good takeaways from last week, and we're needing to stay in that form for 90 minutes, which is the next evolution of our team."

On facing Washington next after losses to Gotham and Orlando:

"Washington is a great team, and the game that I think of is the game before last for them, when they beat Orlando 1-0 at home. Every game, there's a new challenge. For us, we're on a difficult stretch. When we lost to Gotham at home, that was one of those games where it was very difficult after the loss, whereas, the 3-2 loss to Orlando, it sucks, it's difficult, but there were so many positives to take away.

"We're on this difficult stretch, and that's how our league works. You leave home for 10 days at a time and play multiple away games. We're going to be facing a really difficult Washington team, but we really like how we will match up against them as far as our formation and their formation. It's taking the things from last week and putting together a 90-plus-minute performance.

"There is some excitement to get into the next game after our last two results. Sometimes, that's not the case after losing one or two games in a row, but that is the case here right now."

ACFC Interim Head Coach Sam Laity

Thoughts on preparing for Washington:

"What we did for 70 minutes against probably one of the most dynamic front lines in the league with Barbra Banda, Marta, and Ally Watt coming off the bench was amazing.

"Unfortunately, what we didn't do is defend the most important area of the goal, which was the space four yards in front of the six yard box.

"The Spirit have got players that are going to be a handful, and we have players that can handle players that are a handful. We did a very good job against Orlando. It was the best performance I've seen defensively from a team dealing with the players that Orlando has in transition and open play, but also in the box, which is where the games are lost. We let ourselves down.

"They have weapons and we have people that can help prevent the impact, but at the end of the day, it's about what we do in the green. It's what we do around the goal that is the most important thing. We have to solve that and be better individually in those moments, and be better collectively."

Positive takeaways from the match in Orlando:

"Against Orlando, we were just who we are. We showed that very early on against Houston and Seattle as well. The frustrating thing about Gotham was that we never turned up and didn't present who we are as a group of individuals and also a collective.

"This game was a response to the absolutely number one disappointing thing about the Gotham game, our performance, which is in the rear view mirror now. It's not necessarily anything that the opponent did. We weren't who we are. We've shown this season and certainly against Orlando, Seattle, Houston, when we do turn up and represent who we are, we can be a formidable team.

"That was the message to the team, and what you saw was who the team is. We put it together for 70 minutes, and then we did not put together a strong performance in the last 20 minutes against the champions. That's why they are champions, they find ways to win.

"I don't think Orlando had been two goals down or been dominated like that in about two and a half years. There's a lot of really positive aspects of that performance."

Check out the Angel City FC Statistics

• Discuss this story on the National Women's Soccer League message board...

National Women's Soccer League Stories from April 30, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central