Angel City drops Cup opener
LOS ANGELES » The bigger and improved Challenge Cup kicked off for Angel City FC Wednesday.
The tournament, which used to be played in the preseason, is now being played throughout the regular season and carries with it a prize pool of $1 million.
Angel City allowed two fluke goals after a scoreless first half and it ended up costing the club in a 2-0 defeat against OL Reign at BMO Stadium.
The first mistake came in the 64th minute as Angel City backup goalkeeper Brittany Isenhour misplayed a ball, slipped as she tried to recover. That was more than enough time for OL Reign's Jordyn Huitema to get to the ball and slot it in for the opening goal.
In the 77th minute, off of a corner, Jess Fishlock's hit was deflected off of Angel City defender Clarisse LeBihan and into the goal for
OL REIGN 2, ANGEL CITY 0
Up next: San Diego Wave at Angel City, Saturday, 5p.m., Paramunt+
a 2-0 lead.
“We feel a little bit sort of unlucky,” Angel City coach Freya Coombe said. “I think in those moments we also need to make sure that we're not putting ourselves in those positions. And we need to be focused, able to move the ball quickly throughout and I think we need to be in control of our own destiny as well.”
Defender Jasmyne Spencer said that the club wants to be stingy on set pieces and will look to work on ways to avoid allowing goals.
Angel City's Challenge Cup opponents are familiar ones. They're in the West Division along with their West Coast rivals OL Reign, San Diego Wave FC and the Portland Thorns. That also means an additional two games against
OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe, right, heads the ball in a battle against Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden.
those clubs.
After the first of six rounds, Wave FC is in first place in the West Division thanks to its 1-0 win over the Thorns.
The game went into halftime scoreless. Angel City had the better run of play in the first 45 minutes, leading to eight shots and four on goal, but none of them proved to be really threatening to OL Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey.
Angel City made three
substitutions to start the second half, bringing on Megan Reid, Lily Nabet and Katie Johnson, with Paige Nielsen, Dani Weatherholt and Claire Emslie departing. A little past the 60-minute mark, Alyssa Thompson and M.A. Vignola were subbed off for Ali Riley and Savannah McCaskill.
Angel City finished with 14 shots and seven on goal. In her limited time, McCaskill was credited with three chances created.
BOSTON RED SOX: Placed INF Yu Chang on the paternity list. Recalled INF/ OF Emmanuel Valdez from Worcester (IL). Sent RHP Jake Faria outright to Worcester (IL).
CHICAGO WHITE SOX: Agreed to terms with RHP Nash Walters on a minor league contract. Returned RHP Nicholas Padilla to Charlotte (IL).
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS: Sent LHP Sam Hentges to Akron (EL) on a rehab assignment. Recalled SS Brayan Rocchio from Columbus (IL). Optioned RHP Hunter Gaddis to Columbus. Optioned LHP Konnor Pilkington to Columbus (IL).
DETROIT TIGERS: Returned RHP Will Vest to Toledo (IL).
MINNESOTA TWINS: Reinstated OF Joey Gallo from the 10-day IL. Optioned OF Kyle Garlick to St. Paul (IL).
OAKLAND ATHLETICS: Placed RHP Trevor May on the 15-day IL and CF Ramon Laureano on the 10-day IL. Transferred RHP Dany Jimenez from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL. Selected the contract of RHP Mason Miller from Las Vegas (PCL) and reinstated him the from the 15-day IL. Recalled 3B Jordan Diaz from Las Vegas. Sent RHP Domingo Acevedo to Las Vegas on a rehab assignment.
SEATTLE MARINERS: Sent LHP Tommy Milone outright to Tacoma (PCL).
DODGERS: Reinstated INF Yonny Hernandez from the 10-day IL. Placed INF Miguel Rojas o the 10-day IL.
CINCINNATI REDS: Optioned RHP Casey Legumina to Louisville (IL). Recalled RHP Levi Stoudt from Louisville.
COLORADO ROCKIES: Reinstated RHP Daniel Bard from the 15-day IL. Optioned RHP Peter Lambert to Albuquerque (PCL).
MILWAUKEE BREWERS: Placed OF Garrett Mitchell on the 10-day IL. Recalled CF Blake Perkins from Nashville (IL).
NEW YORK METS: Reinstated RHP Tommy Hunter from the 15-day IL. Optioned RHP Denyi Reyes to Syracuse (IL).
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: Returned RHP Yunior Marte to Lehigh Valley (IL).
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS: Sent RHP Adam Wainwright to Springfield (TL) on a rehab assignment.
SAN DIEGO PADRES: Placed RHP Nabil Crismatt on the 15-day IL. Recalled LHP Ray Kerr from El Paso (PCL).
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: Placed LHP Alex Wood on the 15-day IL. Recalled RHP Tristan Beck from Sacramento (PCL). Acquired OF Cal Stevenson from Oakland in exchange for cash considerations. Designated LHP Sam Long for assignment.
At Real Club de Tenis Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
Purse: €2,727,480
Surface: Red clay
Round of 32
Grigor Dimitrov (11), Bulgaria, def. Emilio Gomez, Ecuador, 6-3, 6-1. Denis Shapovalov (14), Canada, def. Jozef Kovalik, Slovakia, 6-4, 6-3. Alex de Minaur (8), Australia, def. Alexander Shevchenko, Russia, 6-0, 6-1. Yoshihito Nishioka (16), Japan, def. David Goffin, Belgium, 6-1, 7-5. Jannik Sinner (4), Italy, def. Diego Schwartzman, Argentina, 6-2, 6-4. Cameron Norrie (7), Britain, def. Pavel Kotov, Russia, 6-1, 6-2. Francisco Cerundolo (15), Argentina, def. Francesco Passaro, Italy, 6-2, 6-2. Karen Khachanov (6), Russia, def. Nicolas Jarry, Chile, 6-4, 6-4. Stefanos Tsitsipas (2), Greece, def. Pedro Cachin, Argentina, 6-4, 6-2. Lorenzo Musetti (9), Italy, def. Jason Kubler, Australia, 6-3, 6-1 Daniel Evans (12), Britain, def. Matteo Arnaldi, Italy, 6-4, 6-3.
Round of 16
David Vega Hernandez, Spain, and Rafael Matos, Brazil, def. Jean-Julien Rojer, Netherlands, and Marcelo ArevaloGonzalez (3), El Salvador, 6-4, 6-4. Rajeev Ram, United States, and Joe Salisbury (2), Britain, def. Ivan Dodig, Croatia, and Austin Krajicek, United States, 6-3, 6-4 Rohan Bopanna, India, and Matthew Ebden, Australia, def. Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic (4), Croatia, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 10-8 Wesley Koolhof, Netherlands, and Neal Skupski (1), Britain, def. Simone Bolelli, Italy, and Marcel Granollers, Spain, 7-6 (3), 6-2.