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NWSL Angel City FC

Angel City Football Club Resume NWSL Season with 2-1 Road Victory over San Diego Wave FC

August 24, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


MATCH RECAP - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) beat San Diego Wave 2-1 on the road today in their first regular season game since July 6. Forward Alyssa Thompson had a brace for Angel City, with defender Abby Dahlkemper scoring late in stoppage time for San Diego.

Angel City started knocking early, finding a chance in the 13th minute. Forward Messiah Bright sent a well-weighted through ball in for forward Claire Emslie, who put an angled shot on target, but goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan blocked it with her foot.

The visitors stayed on the front foot and opened the scoring in the 20th minute. Midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard played a long ball in behind, which Wave defender Hanna Lundkvist got a foot on but was unable to stop. Thompson got on the end of the pass and drove toward goal, dribbling past goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan as she dove to try to claim the ball; with Sheridan off her line, Thompson had an easy left-footed finish to put Angel City up 1-0.

It would be less than ten minutes before Thompson doubled the lead. In the 29th minute, the forward dribbled up the left wing, cut inside into the box, and shot through a pack of defenders. Sheridan dove and made contact with the ball, but it slipped through her grip and into the back of the net.

With 15 minutes left in the half, the scoring chances slowed down, but ACFC remained firmly in control of the midfield for most of that time. San Diego had their first real look of the half in the 40th minute, when Lundkvist sent a lofted pass into the six-yard box, where midfielder Emily Van Egmond was lurking. She got her head on the ball, lobbing it high and ultimately hitting the crossbar for a goal kick.

Thompson came close again in the 68th minute after midfielder Katie Zelem- making her debut for Angel City- played a ball in for midfielder Kennedy Fuller inside the 18. Fuller took the ball endline and sent a diagonal pass into Thompson's run as she neared the penalty spot- but her one-timed shot hit the crossbar.

San Diego had more attempts in the final 20 minutes of the game, starting with a 72nd-minute shot by midfielder Delphine Cascarino that goalkeeper DiDi Haračić did well to save: the French international curled a shot in from just inside the 18, which the keeper got a hand on, deflecting it into the crossbar and out for a corner kick.

Cascarino had another attempt in the 84th minute, cutting across the Angel City back line and firing off a hard strike, which defender Megan Reid blocked with her body.

The visitors' final look of the game came in the 87th minute with a cross from the left by M.A. Vignola that Emslie connected with at the far post, but she hit the woodwork.

The Wave notched their single goal in the 97th minute when midfielder María Sánchez served a free kick in behind the ACFC back line, which defender Abby Dahlkemper headed past Haračić and into the back of the net.

Angel City is at home next week on Sunday, September 1 at 1:00 p.m. against the Chicago Red Stars.

ACFC Milestones

Forward Alyssa Thompson earned her first NWSL career brace in all competitions, scoring two goals in the 20' and 29'.

Forward Alyssa Thompson (19 years, 291 days) became the second teenager to score multiple goals in a regular season match in NWSL history (first is Mallory Swanson)

Midfielder Katie Zelem made her first NWSL career match appearance after subbing into the match in the 65'.

Forward Christen Press made her NWSL regular season return in the 89' for the first time since coming back from injury in June of 2022.

POST-MATCH QUOTES

ACFC Forward Alyssa Thompson

On how her confidence has grown over the past few weeks:

"I'm feeling really good. I feel like in training, I've been feeling a lot better and my teammates have helped me a lot with just reminding me and keeping perspective that we have a really long season. It's the second half season and we're all ready to just play together. I feel really good that I got my first two under my belt, and now I can continue to grow."

On the importance of today's victory on the road:

"It was super important for us. We have been talking a lot about the second half of the season and how we want it to be different from the first half. Getting this win already starts the momentum and we can build on that and just continue."

On how the club plans to continue their momentum in the second half of the NWSL season:

"We've been talking a lot about our grit and togetherness. I think how we played today is only going to get better. We as a team are all together and fight for each other on and off the field. We can only grow from here and continue to play the soccer that we've been playing."

ACFC Midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard

Her thoughts on the team's victory against her former club:

"It feels great. Three points always is an amazing feeling, but coming back and playing against your former team just adds a little extra specialness. So it feels really good to get the win."

On the growth of the SoCal rivalry:

"The more games that there are between the teams, the more it grows. Looking at the history of this rivalry, it's been pretty even so far, so to get that win is great."

"You could see today there was a bit of feistiness on the field and that's only increasing the more games between the teams there are."

On Becki Tweed's coaching qualities and giving the team confidence:

"It's just talking about bringing what you bring to the team that makes you special and putting that belief in us. That is huge. Giving players the confidence that they're on the team for a reason and they have something special to contribute, and when you're on the field having that belief in yourself. It gives you that extra confidence to do what you do and to help the team in the ways that you do best."

ACFC Head Coach Becki Tweed

On the match overall:

"We deserved to win the game. We put in a good performance. We looked comfortable in possession, and played with freedom. We looked like we really enjoyed the game, which is something we've been focused on. The next level for us is to make this a three goal game with a clean sheet."

"I'm extremely pleased by the three points. This is a hard place to play away. The rivalry adds an extra twist, but overall I'm happy with the team's performance."

"We defended the box so well for 96 minutes until that last free kick that we need to look at and grow from. We used the Summer Cup to build momentum and confidence and today you saw a team that came onto the field with that confidence."

On Alyssa Thompson's performance:

"She's been working hard and this team has been here for her through it all. We have so much belief in her ability, and you could see that today. She played with so much freedom and with that spark and edge that she has. She's a special player and the goals will come."

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