After a trying first half of the season, Angel City hoped to go into the Olympic break on a high note, but instead, they are heading in with a loss at the hands of Gotham FC.
Gotham FC secured their three points with two first-half goals, ending the match 2-1. The first goal came only 16 minutes into the game when US Women’s National Team member Rose Lavelle sent a shot into the upper right corner. Gotham’s second goal came near the end of the first half at the 40th minute with a short shot to the back of the net from Delanie Sheehan, marking her first goal of the season.
The second half started stronger for ACFC, who were trying to recover from a 2-0 deficit. Their only goal of the night came in the 69th minute from a penalty kick taken by forward Claire Emslie after defender Gisele Thompson was fouled by Gotham’s Mandy Freeman.
“It was 45 minutes too late. We have to make that choice earlier. Again, this league punishes you,” ACFC Head Coach Becki Tweed said about the team’s second-half play. “If I was to take any positives, it has to be the second half because we limited their chances. At halftime, I asked them to be brave, go out and leave everything you have on the field. That's what they gave us as a group in the second half.”
Another positive for Angel City comes from one of the team's captains, Ali Riley, who was recently called up to play for the New Zealand National Team during the Paris Olympics.
“These young people need role models; they need to see her to be able to be her. I want to be that person,” Riley shared about what she hopes to accomplish in what may be her last Olympics. “I also want to use my platform at the Olympics and at the World Cup… people are listening to what I am saying.”
During the break, ACFC has one player, Riley, playing in the Olympics. Gotham FC will have seven players in the Olympics. Six will be playing for the USWNT: Tierna Davidson, Crystal Dunn, Rose Lavelle, Jenna Nighswonger, Emily Sonnett, and Lynn Williams. They also have goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who will be playing with the German National Team.
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