Angel City Football Club Loses Hard Fought Battle at Home Against Racing Louisville FC

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NWSL Angel City FC

Angel City Football Club Loses Hard Fought Battle at Home Against Racing Louisville FC

May 25, 2025 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


LOS ANGELES - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) suffered a 2-3 loss at home tonight against Racing Louisville FC. Forwards Alyssa Thompson and Riley Tiernan scored for ACFC, with midfielders Taylor Flint and Savannah DeMelo, along with forward Emma Sears scored for the visitors.

In the 23rd minute, Louisville earned the first goal of the match from a penalty kick goal by Flint, after ACFC midfielder Macey Hodge was called for a hand ball inside the box. ACFC reacted by creating an excellent opportunity in the 32nd minute as defender Gisele Thompson was able to get a touch pass from defender Miyabi in the box, allowing her to take a high percentage shot on target that was saved by Louisville goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer.

Another chance to equalize for ACFC came in the 38th minute as Angel City midfielder Kennedy Fuller presented what looked like the perfect cross to forwards Alyssa Thompson and Riley Tiernan, barely traveling over their heads to the other side of the pitch.

Other than the one lone goal by Louisville, ACFC was a defensive stalwart in the first half. The club had a 70 percent tackle success rate, and two saves from goalkeeper Angelina Anderson, leading both clubs with 10 tackles and five interceptions.

ACFC started the second half with a chip on their shoulders as Tiernan equalized for ACFC in the 48th minute, scoring her sixth goal of the season. After receiving a quick pass from Gisele Thompson, she dribbled through several defenders to nail the ball in the left upper 90 of the net, across the face of Bloomer.

Louisville responded by scoring back to back goals just minutes apart, as Sears was able to catch the back line off guard after defender Arin Wright sent a header into the box off a corner kick, leaving Sears wide open to hit the goal from point blank range in the 53rd minute. Three minutes later, forward Kayla Fischer dribbled the ball down the center of the pitch, hesitating right and then sneaking the pass left to DeMelo, who scored to give them a two-goal lead early in the half.

ACFC brought BMO Stadium back to life in the 68th minute following a penalty by Louisville midfielder Janine Sonis inside the box after she fouled ACFC midfielder Madison Hammond. Not only did Sonis receive a red card following the foul, but Alyssa Thompson buried the penalty kick. This goal was her 14th of her career and the 100th NWSL Regular Season goal in Angel City history.

In the 87th minute, ACFC had an opportunity to equalize after a corner kick from midfielder Katie Zelem entered the box to Tiernan who was open in front of the goal, attempting a header that unfortunately landed in the hands of Louisville's Bloomer.

With nine minutes of stoppage time added at the 90th minute mark, ACFC fought hard to equalize the match but fell short after not being able to create a big chance.

Angel City is back at home after the International FIFA Window, taking on Chicago Stars FC for the club's Pride Celebration on Saturday, June 7 at 7:00 p.m. live on ION.

ACFC MILESTONES

ACFC scored their 100th NWSL Regular Season goal in club history in tonight's match.

Rookie forward Riley Tiernan earned her sixth career NWSL Regular Season goal in the 48th minute of tonight's match.

Defender Gisele Thompson earned her third career NWSL Regular Season assist in tonight's match. She is now tied for most assists for the club this season with midfielder Kennedy Fuller (3)

Forward Alyssa Thompson scored her 14th career NWSL Regular Season goal with the club's first penalty kick goal of the 2025 season. She has scored four goals in the last four home games.

POST-MATCH QUOTES

ACFC Rookie Forward, Riley Tiernan

Overall thoughts on the match :

"In the first half it was a little tough for us to find connections. We were not finding the right spaces. It wasn't very fluid and we were very disconnected from our lines. In the second half, we knew that we had to come out and put a different level out there. So starting the attack and fixing those problems, to make it more fluid and finding those open spaces that we were not really finding in the first half helped us a little bit. We fell off and the momentum shifted back. It was a little tough for us to get back to it."

On the goal she scored:

"In training we focus a lot on getting the shot off as quick as you can. I was in a dangerous spot, top of the box, and I put my head up for a second, hit it and it went in the net."

ACFC Midfielder, Madison Hammond

On the mentality of the club and how they move forward:

"With the last two results, I think the international break comes at a good time. A new coach is coming in, everything is coming at a good time. We've shown that we can really build on momentum, and we have to get back to who we are, get people feeling good and feeling fresh.

"It's been a crazy couple of weeks internally and on the field, but at the same time, we're going to get back on track. We need a little bit of time to be with ourselves, laugh, have some lighthearted moments and then get everyone back in from the international break and go again."

On having Sam Laity as an Interim Head Coach:

"Sam and I go way back. He was my assistant coach when I was a rookie. I have definitely had a lot of experience with him, he just brings a sense of positivity to the group. He really focuses on the next one, the next play, whether that's in a smaller drill or in a bigger drill.

"There's a lot of focus on concise details going into games, whether we're preparing with themes of what we should be focusing on as an attacking unit, a defensive unit or the midfielder unit. I feel like under his coaching, we've been able to have things be focused, but at the same time with this calmness that's more of a positive element."

ACFC Interim Head Coach, Sam Laity

Overall thoughts on this match:

"We looked lively. We were lucky to go into the game only one nil at halftime, to be honest here. I thought maybe the soccer gods were going to be on our side for the second half when we scored a decent goal with a good finish from Riley. And then you think, right now we're at home. Now we got our tails up. Now they're on the back foot a little bit.

"Following that we make two or three or four silly mistakes in a row that lead to shots on going corners and they gain momentum from that. We didn't do our jobs on set pieces. They scored on it, so that took the wind out of us a little bit. It was a very discombobulated performance. I'm disappointed that I'm leaving the team in that position for Alex."

On reflecting on his experience as a an Interim Head Coach with the club:

"You picked a really bad time to ask me how I feel about my experience after ten games leading the team. The support from the club leadership, ownership, and the technical staff were absolutely outstanding. Any success that we've seen along the way and any parts of the foundation that we built, all the credit must show to the technical staff and the management leadership. They've all been first-class to work with and to spend time with every day, the players have been excellent, especially given that they didn't know how long it would be until the head coach is here."

"Massive credit to the players. We know where the opportunities are for us to grow as a team and an organization. These ten games now have revealed who we are as a team and what our potential is. We also know where the flaws are."

Box Score - May 24, 2025 (BMO Stadium)

Attendance: 16,740

Goals:

LOU - Flint 23' (PKG)

LA - Tiernan 48' (A: Thompson)

LOU - Sears 53' (A: Wright)

LOU - DeMelo 56' (A: Fischer)

LA - Thompson 68' (PKG)

Shots Saves Fouls Offsides Corners

LA 14 2 10 0 9

LOU 15 5 11 3 4

LA Starting XI: Anderson, Angelina; Gorden, Sarah; Reid, Megan; Vignola, M.A.; Thompson, Gisele; Kennedy, Alanna; Fuller, Kennedy; Zelem, Katie; Press, Christen; Thompson, Alyssa; Tiernan, Riley

Subs: Hammond, Madison; Zelem, Katie; Press, Christen; Mattice, Sophia

DNP: Stambaugh, Hannah; Dufour, Julie; Phair, Casey; Johnson, Hannah; Nabet, Lily

LOU Starting XI: Bloomer, Jordyn; Milliet, Lauren; Wright, Arin; Jean, Ellie; Petersen, Courtney; DeMelo, Savannah; Sonis, Janine; O'Kane, Katie; Flint, Taylor; Fischer, Kayla; Sears, Emma

Subs: Weber, Sarah; Hase, Ella; Pikkkujamsa, Elli

DNP: Anderson, Maddie; George, Allie; DiGrande, Marisa; Baron, Angela; Kanu, Uchenna; Kalitta, Avery

POOL REPORTER RECAP:

Question: In 84', what did the VAR check see that determined the contact made by Louisville #5 did not constitute a handling offense? What about the position of her arm indicated that it did not make her body unnaturally bigger?

Answer: The VAR checked the best angles available and determined that the arm was in a natural position when it made contact with the ball.

At the moment, the referee determined that the arm was in a justifiable position for the player's body movement for that specific situation.

Check out the Angel City FC Statistics



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