Angel City Football Club starts Summer Cup tournament against Club America

Angel City FC’s Gisele Thompson brings the ball down the field during the first half against NJ/NY Gotham FC at BMO Stadium on July 6, 2024. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., contributing photographer)

The Angel City Football Club has fought its way through the NWSL schedule.

With 16 games remaining, ACFC sits 11th in the 14-team league, but is close enough to a playoff spot that all is not lost.

“We are three points away from a playoff spot, which I would call a huge blessing and gift given our first half of the season,” said defender Elizabeth Eddy. “That gives me a lot of hope.”

With NWSL play suspended until the end of August, Angel City will turn its attention to the inaugural NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup and hope to continue its comeback in the second half.

Angel City will open the new tournament on Saturday in its Group A opening match against Club América at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Stadium.

“It’s great,” said Angel City coach Becki Tweed. “Being able to continue playing during the Olympics without having to play league games is really important.”

“I really like that we’re playing against teams that aren’t in the NWSL, and I hope that can evolve over time so that you don’t end up playing against NWSL teams. That would be really cool.”

In-state rivals Bay FC and San Diego Wave FC are also in Angel City’s group.

“I think it’s really exciting that we get to play a team outside of the NWSL tomorrow (Saturday),” Tweed said. “I’m excited about it and the team is excited about it. It’s a little different and refreshing for us compared to the Challenge Cup or even the later part of this cup.”

Angel City will visit Bay FC next Friday and then finish the group stage against San Diego again at Titan Stadium on August 1st.

“I would love to see more outside teams from outside the league involved, but I know it’s a process and it takes time to develop,” Tweed said. “So I think it’s a big advantage that we can see another team.”

“Overall it’s positive. I think we have to play in the next six weeks and that way we can all play and continue to get opportunities as a group, but also for our individual players.”

The cup tournament will consist of five groups of four teams each. At the end of the group matches, the top four teams (based on points) will advance to the semi-finals, which will be played on August 6. The winners will advance to the final, which is scheduled for October 25.

Club América has won the Liga MX title twice – the 2018 Apertura and the 2023 Clausura. The women’s Liga MX tournament began in 2017 and has grown rapidly since then.

“The growth is crazy,” Tweed said. “It’s so healthy for women’s sport and women’s soccer worldwide. When you look at some of the players from Club América and some of the other players that are coming into the league, it’s just huge.”

PRESS AND PHAIR UPDATE

Angel City fans are eagerly awaiting the debut of forwards Christen Press and Casey Phair, and that moment will likely come during the Summer Cup.

Press, who has been out since June 2022 after tearing a cruciate ligament and subsequent complications, has returned to team training.