Angel City, Portland play to 1-1 draw
LOS ANGELES — Angel City Football Club (ACFC) drew the Portland Thorns 1-1, Friday night, following an early goal by Angel City midfielder Savannah McCaskill and a stoppage-time goal by Thorns midfielder Yazmeen Ryan.
“We failed to stop them switching in a pocket right in front of our bench on the inside, which needs to be contained,” ACFC coach Freya Coombe said. “We also need to manage the game, if it’s a tactical foul we need to execute that and not allow them to switch the point of attack. We certainly need to do better containing the final ball.
“It starts in our final third and then progresses. We need to put pressure on the ball and defend their wide players and stop the cross from coming in.”
Angel City opened the scoring in the second minute. When midfielder Clarisse Le Bihan sent a through pass to forward Miri Taylor as she ran into the box, Thorns defender Kelli Hubly fouled Taylor, and the head official pointed to the penalty spot. When McCaskill stepped up to take the kick, keeper Shelby Hogan dove right to save her initial shot, but blocked the ball instead of catching it. McCaskill pounced on the rebounded ball and tapped it calmly to the far post to put Angel City up 1-0.
“That’s not exactly how I would like that to go scripted-wise, but it ended in a goal thankfully,” McCaskill said. “And that’s all it matters. Just lucky that it bounced straight back to me and I was able to put it away.”
Portland had the next good chance of the game, in the 16th minute, when midfielder Hina Sugita sent a cross in from the left. Ryan was inside the sixyard box and made contact with her torso, but keeper DiDi Haračić dove right for an excellent save.
After a handful of Angel City chances over the next 10 minutes, the Thorns had another near miss in the 26th minute. Forward Marissa Everett struck a cross from the left side of the penalty area that found forward Hannah Betfort at the edge of the six. Betfort had an open shot on goal, but headed the ball just over the crossbar.
In the 31st minute, forward Jun Endo dribbled past two defenders at the top of the box and put a hard shot on target, but Hogan made an impressive save.
The final quality chance of the half went to Portland in the 39th minute, when Ryan struck a free kick from 25 yards just high.
“We had several good saves,” McCaskill said. “Had some really good opportunities. We talked a lot about coming into this month with some injuries to players missing due to international duty. Everyone was going to have to step up and we’re going to have to have some players that weren’t used to playing 90 minutes, 60 minutes even.
“They were going to have to step up and assume some big roles for us over today and the next two games. I think everyone that came in or started they did amazing. Lily (Nabet) had her first individual start tonight and I thought she did a great job as a six.”
Early in the second half, ACFC put several shots on frame from distance, including one from Taylor and another from midfielder Lily Nabet, who got her first NWSL start. Hogan saved both shots.
Much of the rest of the game was back and forth with few chances either way, until the Thorns equalized in stoppage time. Defender Madison Pogarch sprinted up the left wing and sent in a cross. Ryan was crashing the box and beat her mark to head the ball in from inside the six-yard box.
In addition to Nabet, Friday marked the first NWSL appearance for midfielder Katie Cousins. Sydney Leroux, who arrived in LA earlier this week, got her first minutes for Angel City, entering the game in the 64th minute for Miri Taylor. Friday also marked the 100th NWSL match for midfielder Dani Weatherholt.
“I feel like I’m coming back home,” said Leroux, who played at UCLA. “I feel so welcome in LA and even when I was playing last time here for Mother’s Day, I felt like it was a home game just because I had been here for so long. And I’m just happy that I get to play here now.”
Angel City is at home again at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday against the club’s rival San Diego Wave FC. The match will stream live on Paramount+.