Angel City Football Club Loses First Match of Season to Orlando Pride
NWSL Angel City FC

Angel City Football Club Loses First Match of Season to Orlando Pride

Published on April 3, 2026 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


Angel City Football Club on game night
Angel City Football Club on game night
(Angel City FC)

ORLANDO, FL - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) tied the match late but ultimately lost to the Orlando Pride, 2-1, at Inter&Co Stadium on Friday night.

Defender Gisele Thompson scored her second goal of the season for ACFC (3-1-0), but Orlando midfielder Haley McCutcheon's brace ultimately proved decisive in the closing minutes of the match.

"This is a difficult result for us to allow them to score in 90-plus, because we do feel like that is a mentality thing, which is what we've been working on," said ACFC captain and defender Sarah Gorden. "So, it is really disappointing."

McCutcheon scored the game-winning goal in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time. ACFC goalkeeper Angelina Anderson made an initial save on a Pride corner. But McCutcheon found the loose ball in a crowd and touched it into the Angel City net for the late 2-1 lead.

Thompson tied the match at 1-1 in the second minute of stoppage time. Defender Evelyn Shores took a free kick from the right side that was initially blocked by Orlando. But the ball popped out to Thompson at the edge of the penalty box, where she scorched a shot off the underside of the crossbar, leaving the shocked Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse staring helplessly as the ball crossed the line.

"[I'm] really proud of the team for coming back in Orlando. This is a hard place to play," Gorden. "So actually, to be able to come back into this game is a huge thing and a really important thing."

Orlando scored the opening goal in the 84th minute. Striker Barbra Banda dribbled into the left side of the penalty box and sent a low cross that bounced between several Angel City defenders. As Anderson was involved in a collision, McCutcheon was able to tap the loose ball into the net at the near post.

Both of McCutcheon's goals were subject to lengthy VAR reviews for potential offsides, but each score was ultimately upheld.

"Today, we could have gone away from here with a very, very good point and played an almost perfect away game," ACFC Head Coach Alex Straus said. "But we threw it away in the end. And that's unacceptable for us as a team and as a unit."

The Angel City defense withstood several waves of pressure from Orlando in the first half. Anderson and Gorden made multiple clutch plays to keep Banda and the Pride off the scoreboard.

Anderson made an important save on a Pride corner in the 30th minute. The netminder fought away Orlando defender Rafaelle's header at the far post, keeping the game scoreless.

Anderson also made a critical save in the 10th minute. Banda broke into the penalty box slightly ahead of the Angel City defense. But the trailing Gorden recovered and gave Banda just enough trouble, allowing Anderson to get into position to make the diving stop.

"Sarah is probably one of the fastest and strongest defenders in the league," Straus said, adding, "I don't see anybody who has controlled [Banda] in a way that Sarah did today. So I'm very, very happy with Sarah's performance defensively against Banda."

Defender Emily Sams started in her first match against her former team. Orlando drafted Sams in 2023, and she played three seasons for the Pride. Forward Prisca Chilufya, who came on as a late substitute for Angel City, also made 16 appearances for Orlando in 2025.

Sams and Thompson will next report for duty to the United States Women's National Team camp. Niehues (Brazil), midfielder Ary Borges (Brazil), forward Casey Phair (South Korea), forward Riley Tiernan (U.S. Under-23), defender Evelyn Shores (U.S. Under-23), and midfielder Kennedy Fuller (U.S. Under-20) have also been called up.

Angel City will resume play after the international break on Sunday, April 26, when the club will face Portland Thorns FC at BMO Stadium at 3 p.m. Pacific. The match will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.

Starting XI

Angelina Anderson

Sarah Gorden (C), Savy King,

Emily Sams, Gisele Thompson

Nealy Martin, Ary Borges,

Maiara Niehues, Kennedy Fuller

Riley Tiernan, Sveindis Jonsdottir

Check out the Angel City FC Statistics

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Images from this story

Angel City Football Club on game night
Angel City Football Club on game night
   



National Women's Soccer League Stories from April 3, 2026


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