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NWSL Angel City FC

Angel City Football Club Draws Utah Royals FC in Final Home Match of the 2024 NWSL Regular Season

October 20, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


LOS ANGELES - Angel City drew 1-1 against the Utah Royals tonight following a goal by Royals midfielder Claudia Zaragoza and one by ACFC forward Sydney Leroux. The Fan Appreciation match which was the last regular-season home game of 2024.

Utah had the first chance of the game in the third minute when forward Ally Sentnor dribbled into the pocket, cut to the right, and fired off a shot that went wide of the far post.

Angel City had their first real chance of the night in the 13th minute when forward Messiah Bright and midfielders Madison Hammond and Meggie Dougherty Howard combined at the top of the box to set up midfielder Katie Zelem. Zelem took a crack from just outside the 18, but it went wide.

Forward Claire Emslie was the next ACFC player to make an attempt on goal, running onto a through ball by forward Alyssa Thompson. Emslie dribbled into the penalty area and nearly fired off a shot, but goalkeeper Mandy Haught came off her line to smother the ball.

In the 21st minute, the Royals opened the scoring after being awarded a free kick just outside the 18. Midfielder Claudia Zornoza stepped up to take it and sent the ball curling inside the near post, past Haračić, and into the back of the net.

In the 29th minute, Bright made a run up the right and sent a cross into the box, where Emslie took a crack that was blocked by a defender.

The two teams traded a handful of chances over the remainder of the first half, but few of them for either side were quality opportunities, and the half ended with the score at 1-0.

Angel City turned up the heat after the break, with Bright taking an angled shot in the 54th minute that forced a diving save from Utah keeper Mandy Haught.

The Royals had a pair of chances in the 54th minute, starting with a shot by defender Madison Pogarch that Haračić blocked; Zornoza picked up the second ball and made an attempt of her own, which Haračić impressively lept to tip over the bar.

One minute later, defender Ana Tejada hit the crossbar with a header, with Zornoza attempting a scorpion kick on the rebound, which went wide.

Angel City equalized in the 57th minute. After a corner kick by Zelem fell to defender Gisele Thompson, the youngster juggled the ball to keep it airborne and sent a header to forward Sydney Leroux inside the 18 yard box. Leroux received the ball with her chest before volleying it into the back of the net.

The hosts kept pushing for the rest of the half and came close a number of times. In the 64th minute, forward Alyssa Thompson dribbled into the penalty area, cut right to beat her mark, and took a hard shot from near the penalty spot that flew just high.

Haračić had another impressive save in the 70th minute when Sentnor intercepted a pass in the midfield, took it to the penalty arc, and uncorked a shot. Haračić again jumped to tip the ball out over the crossbar with one hand.

In the 88th minute, midfielder Rocky Rodríguez forced a turnover in the midfield, with forward Christen Press scooping up the ball. Press drove toward goal and beat a defender in the penalty area to send the ball back to Rodríguez, who put a curving shot on target- but Haught saved.

Angel City's last game of 2024 will be Friday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. in Portland. The match will stream live on Prime Video with a radio broadcast on iHeart.

ACFC Milestones

The club celebrated the retirement of ACFC defender Merritt Mathias, who has played in all 12 seasons of the NWSL.

ACFC Forward Sydney Leroux scored her 48th career NWSL regular season goal, tying teammate Christen Press on the all-time list for 8th place.

ACFC has scored 100 goals in all competitions in club history, after Leroux's goal in tonight's draw.

Rookie defender Gisele Thompson earned her first career NWSL regular season assist.

Goalkeeper DiDi Haračić set the ACFC single-game record with nine saves in tonight's draw.

POST-MATCH QUOTES

ACFC Goalkeeper #13 DiDi Haračić

On the match overall:

"Once I get into my flowstate I feel like everything is fluid and I'm in my comfort zone. In the first half we needed to change some things and we weathered the storm. We were a completely different team from the first to second half."

"I'm happy with my performance, but there are also 10 people in front of me that did their job as well. We've been through a lot, and it's through thick and thin with this club."

Her message to the loyal supporters of La Fortaleza:

"Thanks for being the best fans in the NWSL. Thanks for consistently sticking with us through thick and thin. Thank you for believing in us through the hard times. For the younger generation, I'll speak for myself, but continue to be you. Continue to strive for your dreams and we'll continue to pave the way for you."

ACFC Defender and Vice Captain #11 Sarah Gorden

On the club's performance this season:

"Throughout every season of my career there are ups and downs. It feels like there were a lot of downs this year. A lot of things that almost went our way, then they didn't. So many things that disrupted our flow, and it was tough emotionally from the staff to the players."

"Looking at our second-half performance, it shows who we are when we are at our best. Our first half wasn't good. We got knocked down and were getting beaten to the ball. Then we came out in the second half and regrouped."

"We set out and we didn't achieve our goal. Regardless of losing the three points or not, there were so many other things that could have gone our way that didn't. There's so many things that we should have been better at and gotten points from. There is a lot to learn from."

"When you look at how many times we were ahead and then lost the lead to then lose or draw, it is a difficult pill to swallow. To do the opposite today and come back from being down after finding out late last night that we aren't making the playoffs, it's difficult."

"People don't always understand the emotions that go into for us to be able to come back today, I'm so proud of it. We can't lose points from winning positions moving forward. We have to be better there."

ACFC Head Coach Becki Tweed

On how the team has grown their identity this season:

"One statement I can say is we always continue to fight in the second half. That is something that we want to see more evolution in. We don't want to just wait for the second half to turn up and start that second performance.

"It's been a real up and down roller coaster every season. We've had some really high moments and we've had some really low moments. Being able to take those moments of adversity and grow, being able to put second half performances together consistently that have been brilliant, and now we have to add all that together."

"I say every week, it's a process. It doesn't happen overnight. Building a club from scratch is something that takes time. Building an identity and building a culture is something that takes time. This season we have grown massively in our identity in what we're trying to achieve and what we're trying to accomplish.

"Yes, there's been bumps along the way, and we recognize that, but everything that's a bump along the way is completely in our control."

Overall thoughts on the season heading into the final match:

"Every season in this league, you're looking to strengthen your squad. That's not a secret. We are where we are and we have to strengthen our squad in areas."

"When you now look at the top four teams, maybe outside of Gotham, you have players who have 20 goals, 18 goals, 15 goals. We have players that contribute massively and score game winning goals and make game winning tackles."

"I'm going to sit here as a first time head coach and say I learnt more lessons this year than I've learned in 34 years of my existence. It's my job to take those lessons on board and apply them into a space where we can continue to grow as a club."

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