Angel City Football Club Wins First-Ever NWSL X Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup Match with 2-1 Win over Club América Femenil

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NWSL Angel City FC

Angel City Football Club Wins First-Ever NWSL X Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup Match with 2-1 Win over Club América Femenil

July 21, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


LOS ANGELES - Tonight Angel City Football Club (ACFC) kicked off their first-ever NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup tournament with a 2-1 home win against Club América Femenil at Titan Stadium at CSU Fullerton. Midfielder Kennedy Fuller and forward Sydney Leroux scored for the hosts, with forward Kiana Palacios notching one for América.

Forward Messiah Bright had the first real chance of the night in the 11th minute. The play was a team effort starting with defender Sarah Gorden sending a forward pass to midfielder Kennedy Fuller, who tapped a diagonal ball to midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard, who found Bright as she made a run into the box. The forward shrugged off pressure from two defenders to put a shot on frame, but goalkeeper Sandra Paños came off her line to block the attempt.

América answered with an attempt in the 12th minute when midfielder Nicolette Hernández uncorked an angled shot from a few yards outside the area. Goalkeeper Angelina Anderson dove right and got her hand on the ball to block it out for a corner.

In the 24th minute ACFC had another attempt when defender Sarah Gorden sent a long ball to defender Gisele Thompson as she made a run up the wing. Thompson dribbled into the box and beat her mark to turn and shoot, but her attempt was wide.

Angel City opened the scoring in the 29th minute when defender Merritt Mathias played a short diagonal pass out of pressure to Fuller just inside the penalty arc. Fuller took a touch to control the ball, turned, and unleashed a right-footed effort that curled past Paños and into the back of the net.

Forward Elizabeth Eddy had a look in the 59th minute, getting her head on a cross from forward Sydney Leroux at the corner of the six-yard box, but her shot was high.

América had their first chance since the first half in the 69th minute when an uncleared corner kick bounced around their penalty area, first with defender Karen Luna making a short-range attempt that was blocked; midfielder Noemí Granados's outside-the-box follow-up flew straight to Anderson.

The visitors kept pushing, with forward Scarlett Camberos sending a low ball across the face of goal in the 75th minute, but none of her teammates were able to connect before ACFC midfielder Lily Nabet blocked the pass out over the endline.

Angel City doubled their lead in the 89th minute when midfielder Madison Hammond poked the ball away from a defender to the feet of Leroux at the top of the 18. Leroux, who was tightly marked, turned and fired off a left-footed shot that Paños had no chance of stopping, bringing the score to 2-0.

Club América pulled one back in stoppage time, with forward Miah Zuazua sending a free kick to the edge of the six-yard box. Forward Kiana Palacios jumped and connected with the ball for a looping header that she placed just under the crossbar past Anderson.

Angel City has another NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup game next Friday, July 26, away at Bay FC at 7:30 p.m live on Paramount+.

POST-MATCH QUOTES

ACFC Rookie Midfielder Kennedy Fuller

Overall thoughts on the match:

"As a team we kind of put it together. We definitely want to improve on a bunch of things we've been working on. At the end of the day, we really have gotten a little bit of energy back, which is exactly what we needed. We're looking forward to the rest of this tournament."

On how serious the club is taking this tournament:

"We're taking it very seriously. This is a really good tournament for us to regroup and work on things that we need to work on to translate into the season."

"It's a really good opportunity to get minutes, playing time and continue to build that chemistry because we are a little bit of a younger team. We're able to use these games as trial games, but also we want to win the games, we want to win the tournament, so we're treating it like it's a league game as well."

On being able to score her second professional goal and the confidence it gives her:

"We've really been working on our connections in chemistry. For me, being able to put it in the back of the net is awesome, but we're looking to continue to do that. I would love to continue to contribute and we're looking to get more of our players on the score sheet as well."

ACFC Head Coach Becki Tweed

How the team is treating the Summer Cup in conjunction with the regular season:

"For us reflecting on the first half of the season, we are disappointed with a lot of the results. So this is really important for momentum for us. A win is a win in football at the end of the day. We are striving to win every game we play. I think momentum is something that is really important in the NWSL. We have to take this win, three points and build from it.

"For 40 minutes in the first half we were really good. I think the second half we weren't good enough. We have to find ways to deal with sustained high pressure and be better in that space, but to grind out a win is ultimately the most important thing as a group. We still have room to grow. I say it every week, but I truly believe if we take that first 40 minutes and continue to grow off of it, we will be in a great space.

On the two goals scored:

"Two really good finishes from a decent distance. Club America's goalkeeper is fantastic and world class, so you know you have to hit something special to beat her from that range. I think we had a couple more chances that she made some good saves on, and those are the moments we have to capitalize on."

On the atmosphere of the match:

"This tournament provides opportunity. When you see the atmosphere that was created from two different sets of fans, you don't get that often in women's sports. I think that is something that is really special and something that has to be celebrated.

"Club America's fans were unbelievable and our fans are always unbelievable. This is why this tournament exists and this is why when you look at the growth of women's sport, this is so special. You have to take a moment and realize how much growth has happened in the last few years."

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