Angel City shines with hard-fought victory against Club América

Angel City’s debut in the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup was a real spectacle for the fans in the stadium. In the match against Club América, the team from Los Angeles showed grit and determination to secure a narrow 2-1 victory. The game was characterized by well-thought-out moves, spectacular saves and a stunning goal in the last minute. Let’s dive into the details of this exciting match.

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Angel City showed from the start that they were determined to dominate the game. In the 11th minute, striker Messiah Bright had the first big chance. The play began with a precise pass from defender Sarah Gorden to Kennedy Fuller, who with a subtle touch passed the ball to Meggie Dougherty Howard. She in turn found Bright, who ran into the box. Bright ignored the pressure from defenders and shot hard, but goalkeeper Sandra Paños, ever on guard, came out of her goal and blocked the attempt. It was a warning of what was to come.

Club América was not far behind and reacted immediately. In the 12th minute, Nicolette Hernández attempted a shot from outside the box and forced Angelina Anderson to make a spectacular save. She jumped to the right and deflected the ball out of play. The game was evenly matched, with both teams showing quality and the will to win.

In the 24th minute, Angel City threatened again. Sarah Gorden played a long ball to Gisele Thompson, who dribbled past her marker and shot powerfully, but the ball went wide. The goal seemed imminent and in the 29th minute it finally came. Merritt Mathias played a short, diagonal pass to Fuller, who turned with great skill and fired an unstoppable shot that scored the first goal and sent the fans into ecstasy.

In the second half, Club América continued to press, but it was Angel City who doubled their lead. In the 89th minute, Madison Hammond deflected the ball to the feet of Sydney Leroux, who, despite being well marked, turned and fired a shot with her left leg that left Paños no chance. The goal seemed to seal the victory, but Club América did not give up.

Club América pulled one back in injury time. Miah Zuazua fired a free kick into the box and Kiana Palacios towered above everyone else to head the ball past Anderson and just under the bar. It was a late goal that gave the visitors a glimmer of hope, but it was not enough to change the final result.

After the final whistle, Angel City coach Becki Tweed reflected on the significance of this win. “Looking back at the first half of the season, we’re disappointed with a lot of results, so this is really important for us right now. A win is a win in football at the end of the day. We strive to win every game we play. I think momentum is a really important thing in the NWSL. We need to enjoy this win and the three points and build on it.”

Kennedy Fuller, who scored her second professional goal, stressed the importance of working on team cohesion and chemistry. “Our cohesion and chemistry are improving. Putting the ball in the net is incredible, but we want to keep doing that. I would like to keep contributing and get more of our players on the scoresheet.”

The victory over Club América was an important step for Angel City, which sees the Summer Cup as an opportunity to strengthen the team. Angel City’s coach stressed that improvements are needed in certain aspects of the game, especially in dealing with the opponent’s high pressure, but she acknowledged the two brilliant finishes that secured the victory.

“For 40 minutes in the first half we were very good. I don’t think we were good enough in the second half. We need to find ways to deal with sustained high pressure and get better in that area, but ultimately as a group the most important thing is to get a win. We still have room for improvement. I say it every week, but I really believe that if we take advantage of the first 40 minutes and keep improving from there, we’re in a great position. Two really good shots from 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 distance. I think we had a couple more chances where she made some good saves and those are the moments we need to take advantage of,” he concluded.

For fans, this game was a reminder that Angel City is on the right track and is building a young and promising team. With this win, the team showed that it is capable of competing and winning against high-level opponents.