Utah Royals Look to Build on Shutout Win as Playoff Push Continues at Home against Angel City FC
NWSL Utah Royals FC

Utah Royals Look to Build on Shutout Win as Playoff Push Continues at Home against Angel City FC

Published on September 19, 2026 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Utah Royals FC News Release


HERRIMAN, Utah - Utah Royals FC (13-3-8, 42 pts) head home to host Angel City FC (10-6-8, 36 pts) on Sunday, September 20th with kickoff set for 5:00 p.m. MT. The Royals are coming off of a recent 1-0 win over the Dash in Houston, securing them three points and third place spot on the NWSL table. Now, URFC now turns its attention homeward in preparation to host Angel City, hoping to notch another win in front of a home crowd.

Last Saturday, the Royals debuted newly acquired Jameese Joseph, who came on midway during the second half. Joseph generated multiple chances for her new teammates, quickly making her presence known on the pitch. Utah found the net soon thereafter, when Royals' captain Paige Cronin served a long ball into the penalty box, the ball rebounding and finding Nuria Rábano. Rábano delivered a low cross to Japanese-international Mina Tanaka, who tapped the ball in giving the Club a 1-0 lead. The goal was Tanaka's ninth this season, the result making five of those goals game winners. The Royals continued to defend vehemently, with Ironwoman Kate Del Fava returning to the match after a harsh collision, resulting in seven defensive contributions. The strong Royals backline prevented the Dash from ever equalizing, giving the Club a shutout along with the victory.

Now, the Royals return home to American First Field to host Angel City FC this Sunday, the second meeting between the two clubs this season. The previous matchup on May 2nd resulted in the Royals defeating Angel City 1-0 in Los Angeles, with a 33rd minute goal from Canadian-international Cloé Lacasse. The goal marked back-to-back games with a goal from Lacasse, and gave Cronin her first assist of the season. The match also saw the first start for Royals' goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn who returned from injury obtained early in the season. At the time, the victory signified a four-game win streak, the first time the achievement has been made in URFC history. The Royals went on to win the following match, ultimately giving them a five-game consecutive win streak. Utah has faced Angel City five times since returning as a franchise in 2024, with the Royals holding a current record of 1W-2D-2L.

Angel City enters Sunday's contest with a 10-6-8 league record with 36 pts, sitting at 9th in the overall NWSL standings. Angel City is coming off of a recent mid-week win, having found a 3-1 victory over Seattle Reign FC on Wednesday night. The first goal of the night was netted by former Royals player Ally Sentnor, with her fourth straight match with a goal contribution. Setnor was originally selected by URFC during the 2024 NWSL draft. Angel City has not yet seen a loss in this month, having previously seen a 3-3 draw against Denver Summit FC on September 11th, and a 2-0 victory over Racing Louisville on September 5th. The club is led by interim Head Coach Leif Gunnar Smerud, who was appointed to the position in June after the departure of Alexander Straus. Brazilian forward Maiara Nieheus leads Angel City's scoring during the 2026 NWSL season with 8 goals, however the club shows depth in goal-scoring in their roster, and Angel player could be a potential challenge to the URFC back line.

The Royals will be looking to utilize its momentum from Sunday's shutout heading into the matchup against Angel City, hoping to secure its second-ever win over the opponents in front of a home crowd during Matchweek 22 of the NWSL 2026 season.

UTA v LA Game Notes

BROADCAST INFORMATION

WATCH LIVE on NWSL+ with Jaime Hersch and Jamie Watson:: Utah Royals FC vs Angel City FC | America First Field | 5:00 p.m. MT

OR

WATCH LIVE on KMYU with JP Chunga and Carla Haslam:: Utah Royals FC vs. Chicago Stars FC | America First Field | 5:00 p.m. MT | KMYU (2.2 over air / 12 satellite / 643 Comcast HD)

OR

LISTEN via KSL Sports Radio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) starting at 4:45 p.m. MT

Following the home match against Angel City FC, the Royals will remain at America First Field to host the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, September 27th, with kickoff set for 5:00 p.m. MT. Tickets for the match are available to purchase.

Check out the Utah Royals FC Statistics

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from September 19, 2026


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