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NWSL Angel City FC

Angel City FC Falls at San Diego Wave FC, 4-2

April 2, 2022 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - Angel City fell 2-4 to San Diego Wave today in a back-and-forth match at Torero Stadium. Jodie Taylor, Alex Morgan, and Amirah Ali were the scorers for the home team, while Christen Press notched her first for Los Angeles. A Tegan McGrady own goal accounted for Angel City's other goal. The match, Angel City's second against San Diego during the Challenge Cup, was the club's third game in eight days.

San Diego opened the scoring in the 19th minute when left back Tegan McGrady played a pass to forward Alex Morgan in the box. Morgan chipped the ball across the face of goal to Jodie Taylor, who fired off a shot; keeper DiDi Haračić blocked the initial shot, but the rebound fell back to Taylor, and she sent it to the back of the net.

The home side was on the front foot for most of the first 45 minutes, with Angel City largely confined to their side of the field. The Wave had a number of chances and near-chances before the break, including 11 corner kicks.

An own goal by the Wave leveled the score to 1-1 in the 38th minute. Angel City midfielder Savannah McCaskill passed to fellow midfielder Dani Weatherholt, who turned the ball over to McGrady. McGrady sent an errant pass back for keeper Kailen Sheridan, who could not reach the ball in time as it rolled over the goal line.

In first-half stoppage time, San Diego regained the lead. Midfielder Kristen McNabb sent a ball into the box that fell to Angel City left back Ali Riley. Morgan pounced as Riley tried to clear the ball and sent a hard shot past Haračić to pull ahead 1-2.

Angel City had more attacking success to start the second half, managing to play out of pressure and find space a handful of times leading up to the 59th minute, when they equalized again. Right back Jasmyne Spencer sent a cross into the box; the ball hit San Diego defender Christen Westphal and fell to ACFC forward Christen Press, who brought the ball down and nailed it to the back of the net.

The visitors had a few more looks over the next ten minutes, but it was the Wave who notched the next goal when midfielder Taylor Kornieck backheeled the ball to Westphal, who sent a low cross to Morgan that the forward one-timed into the net. San Diego closed out the scoring with a fourth goal in the 81st minute, when midfielder Isabella Briede played a ball to forward Amirah Ali. Ali beat center back Vanessa Gilles to dribble into the box, then snuck around Gilles's fellow center back, Madison Hammond, to send the ball inside the far post.

Following the upcoming international break, Angel City goes again on Sunday, April 17 at 3 p.m. PST, when they'll take on OL Reign at Lumen Field in Seattle. That match will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

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ACFC QUOTES

ACFC Head Coach Freya Coombe:

On the contributing factors to today's results:

"We are fatigued from playing three games so close together. The turnaround from our last game in Portland away and then coming here with the early kickoff has been hard. In terms of the full depth of the squad, it makes it a little tricky, but ultimately, we have to be better defensively. We have to be more compact, we have to prevent the individual areas that we've got, and button it up."

On the nature of the NWSL and how that affects the team:

"We know that this league is very transitional. When we look at the players that have started in this league and play consistently in this league in the transitional game, our center backs are relatively new in terms of this league, and being able to experience that transitional nature. It's a bit of a lack of time."

"We conceded three against Portland and then we've been on the road ever since and not had a training session with our backline in order to put things right. Ultimately, we do need time to work together and to coach it and to train it."

On team accountability:

"We have to be accountable for what we've done today and fix it."

ACFC Midfielder Jasmyne Spencer:

On versatility in multiple positions:

"One of the reasons that I was brought here is because I'm very versatile and have the ability to play both positions. No matter where I am on the field, it's about working towards implementing the style of play that we want and figuring out what our identity will be on the field."

"I'm comfortable in either position. I love going one-on-one, and being out on the wing gives me that opportunity. But wherever the team needs me, I'm happy."

On takeaways from today's match:

"I'd be lying if I said we weren't frustrated. We're all really competitive, and we want to win. We want to get points out of these games, but we also realize that this is our eighth week and fourth game ever together. Coming off of a three-game week is always tough, but we're just going to continue building and growing. We'll go back and see what we can fix and improve on and take it one week at a time."

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