Angel City FC and Washington Spirit played an intense game last night ending in a 2-2 draw. Both sides displayed some of their best soccer, playing until the bitter end of extended time.
Angel City had a lot riding on this game. A win or a draw was a must for the team if they wanted to keep any hopes alive for a tournament run. They played a 4-3-3 with Nealy Martin receiving her first cap, while the Washington Spirit played a 5-3-2 with Trinity Rodman up top.
Within the first seven minutes, Washington’s Rodman came to play. Outside back Gabrielle Carle took her space up the right side, passing wide to Rodman. Rodman cut past the defenders, got caught up and taken down within the six-yard box from the defensive press of Angel City midfielder Miyabi Moriya. A penalty kick was granted, and Rodman took the kick.
Her strike went low and to the right for Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson to save, but the ball ricocheted off her and into the feet of Rodman for a one-time rebound finish, putting the Spirit up 1-0.
However, ACFC bounced right back after the early Washington goal. In the 14th minute, Angel City forward Svendís Jane Jónsdóttir slid the ball forward to running outside back Gisele Thompson on the left side. Thompson took on the defender, making it to the goal line where she crossed the ball into the 6-yard box. Aggressively taking advantage of the open space, midfielder Evelyn Shores hit a one-time strike, tying the game and making it her first NWSL career goal.
Just three minutes later, ACFC had another scoring opportunity when forward Jun Endo passed wide to Miyabi, who crossed the ball to the backpost. Jónsdóttir was there, but could only get a slight touch on it which sent the ball over the bar.
Just before the half ended, the Spirit had some dangerous chances. Defender Esma Morgan sent a long ball to Rodman on the right side. Rodman passed to an aggressive Carle who beat the defender to send an early cross to the back post. ACFC defender Thompson headed the ball out, but the ball made its way back to the top of the 18, where Spirit defender Kate Wiesner found midfielder Narumi Miura for a powerful shot that went off the top corner of the post.
The game was tied 1-1 going into the second half, and Angel City kept up their intensity.
Starting off the second, Washington came out with a powerful shot from midfielder Deborah Abiodun which rebounded off Angel City defense into the feet of forward Rosemonde Kouassi for a rebound shot. Anderson made a hard save off the chest to keep the game tied.
Angel City took the lead at the 54th minute after an own goal from Spirit defender Tara McKeown. The ball was crossed into the box from ACFC forward Riley Tiernan and McKeown stuck her leg out to block the ball, but it ended up deflecting into the back of her own net.
However, Washington responded later at the 70th minute. Midfielder Leicy Santos sent a long ball to midfielder Criox Bethune in the 18-yard box. Bethune ran into the cross for a header goal at the far right post to tie the game up.
The battle continued until the very end of the match and extended time. Both teams were persistent, applying pressure and great goal scoring opportunities.
In the 85th minute, ACFC had a chance when Jónsdóttir received a long ball on the left side and slid a beautiful pass into the center of the 18 for two open Angel City players. Midfielder Macey Hodge then one-timed the ball over the bar for what could have been the winning goal. In the 87th minute, ACFC forward Kennedy Fuller crossed the ball to Jónsdóttir, who struck it over the bar as well.
Washington also had some close call chances to take the lead as well. In the 89th minute, Spirit Kouassi slid the ball to midfielder Sofia Cantore for a shot but she hit it wide., and similarly,in the 92nd minute, Washington’s Cantore took a wide shot from the left side, but a diving ACFC Anderson punched it away.
Anderson made another impeccable save at the 94th minute when Washington’s Bethune took it up the left side, taking down two ACFC defenders in the process and crossing the ball to Cantore for a header. Anderson dove in to prevent the ball from sliding past the right side.
The game finalized with a 2-2 draw between Angel City and the Washington Spirit. ACFC played some of their best soccer and showed the NWSL that they should not be taken lightly as the rankings start to change in the next few weeks.