Angel City Football Club Celebrates Ali Riley and Christen Press at Final Home Match of 2025 NWSL Regular Season
NWSL Angel City FC

Angel City Football Club Celebrates Ali Riley and Christen Press at Final Home Match of 2025 NWSL Regular Season

Published on October 19, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


LOS ANGELES - Angel City Football Club fell 0-2 to the Portland Thorns today, following a pair of goals by forward Olivia Moultrie. Following the match, the club celebrated two legends of the game today at BMO Stadium as first-ever captain Ali Riley and US Women's National Team trailblazer Christen Press played their respective final home match.

Portland opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Midfielder Olivia Moultrie received a pass from forward Alexa Spaanstra just outside the 18, drove forward a few steps, and unleashed a curving strike to the upper 90 that hit the back of the net.

In the 36th minute, defender Gisele Thompson had a chance. Midfielder Miyabi Moriya and forward Riley Tiernan combined outside the penalty area, with Tiernan sending a lateral pass to Thompson. The defender dribbled to the edge of the box, cut the ball to her left foot, and put a strike on target, which goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold leapt to tip over the bar with one hand.

The Thorns started the second half with an attempt by Spaanstra, whose shot from just outside the 18 goalkeeper Angelina Anderson collected.

In the 60th minute, Portland doubled their lead with a penalty kick by Moultrie, drawn a few minutes before by ACFC defender Sara Doorsoun. Moultrie stepped up to the spot and calmly slotted the ball to the right, while goalkeeper Angelina Anderson dove left, bringing the score to 2-0.

In the 63rd minute, Angel City had another chance when Moriya found forward Christen Press near the penalty spot with her back to goal. Press turned her defender and put a shot on target, but Arnold saved.

POST-MATCH QUOTES

ACFC Defender Ali Riley

On her time with ACFC:

"It feels like a dream. I still pinch myself when I think about this club and what we've achieved and how much it means to so many people. For my own journey, I didn't expect any of this. I had seen what was on social media and what people were saying about the club and what the club was saying about itself then to come here and really feel it and see it. It is one of the things I am most proud of. I feel so privileged to end my career here and to be part of a movement of a culture and proving a lot of people wrong about what's possible in women's sports."

On whether she will join ACFC in the future in a role

"We'll see. All I can say is there's been some conversations. Everyone knows how much this club means to me and I have felt the love and I know I mean a lot to this club. If there is a role that fits what I want to do. I'm already going into broadcasting covering the women's Champions League, that's going to be really exciting. But I really hope that there is a place for me here that works. No matter what, you'll see me at the games because this club has my heart."

ACFC Head Coach Alex Straus

Overall thoughts on the season

"The girls tried today, but we didn't get the rhythm. Based on what we've done lately, performance wise, it felt like a little of a step backward. We talked a lot about that consistency that we need to have. Moving forward and today, we had that in some phases of the game. It was good, but our passing was much less intensive and far from what we wanted to do. We didn't create enough chances in the last third today."

On priorities heading into the off season

"There certainly will be some changes on the roster going into next season. That's an important thing for us to work on in the off season. The other part is that we need to be very clear on the feel about all the principles and all of the phases of the game. We need to get better, we need to emphasize it. We need repetition. We need to practice this way of playing."

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