Back home, ACFC looks to break out of slump

It has been a slow start to the 2023 season for Angel City Football Club.

In the last 10 games, including three Challenge Cup games, Angel City has only one win.

Angel City (2-4-3, nine points) enters today’s meeting against the Chicago Red Stars in 10th place in the NWSL standings.

“We are looking forward to returning to BMO Stadium to play in front of our fans and supporters,” ACFC coach Freya Coombe said. “We did not get the results we wanted on the road this time, but we know that we have the ability to turn that around at home. We are going to go out there and put on a performance we can be proud of.

“We are confident we can meet our goal of making the playoffs. Playoffs aren’t decided in June. We are looking forward to players returning from injury to boost the squad and enhance our competitiveness.

“I think we have to recognize

where we are and where we need to go. We have learned a lot about ourselves throughout this season and we are growing.”

The injury bug is causing some problems for ACFC.

Fan favorite and versatile defender/midfielder Jun Endo suffered a knee injury May 27 against OL Reign. Coombe described it as an “injury to her knee ligaments, but not her ACL.” Merritt Mathias (left knee) has yet to play this season. Defender M.A. Vignola has missed the last two games due to COVID-19 protocol.

On the positive side, Julie Ertz (left thigh) returned to the field in the late stages of Wednesday’s Challenge Cup loss to the Portland Thorns, and Sydney Leroux (right ankle) is nearing a return.

Leroux has been on the roster for the last two games, but with both games on turf, it wasn’t likely she would get in.

“When Syd comes on the field, I think it will be the biggest cheer of the year,” Coombe said of Leroux. “It is hard to get to this end stage (of recovery) when you just want to be out there playing. She looks incredible in training. We are all waiting for that moment because it will be fantastic.”

The Red Stars (2-6-1) are playing without star forward Mallory Swanson and they’re currently winless on the road (0-4), But they are coming off of a 1-0 win over the Orlando Pride last week.

“I think that it is a long season,” ACFC defender Sarah Gorden said. “It is what the NWSL is and it is a tough season. Every team hits spots of adversity in their season. At this point, we finally get to play a game at home. We were on the road for a week straight. It was tough. It wasn’t easy.”

“We want to put on for our fans and supporters. Coming into this game, as a team, it is about how much heart we have, how hard we want it and how we can learn from what we have been through this past week and throughout the season.”