Angel City rallies to salvage draw against Thorns

Having lost two tough matches, Angel City knew Monday night’s match against the Portland Thorns was key in keeping its playoff hopes alive.

Just like in the last two matches, Angel City jumped out to the lead, and just like the last two matches, it gave up the lead and fell behind. This time however, Angel City found a response, as Claire Emslie’s last second half goal saved the points for Angel City, and they settled for the 2-2 draw at BMO Stadium.

“It’s definitely not the outcome [we wanted], I’m proud of the group and I think a 2-1 game could have gone any way but we ground out a result again,” Angel City head coach Becki Tweed said. “It was scrappy. It was ugly. We still have to learn from our own mistakes. When I look at both goals, they’re so preventable for us, which is frustrating. It’s been the story of our season so far, and that’s what we have to continue to fix.”

In edition to Emslie’s heroics, Alyssa Thompson continued her current run of form. Thompson’s first half goal -gives her five goals in Angel City’s last five matches. The result also enables Angel City to chip away in its quest to return to the playoffs. The points moves Angel City three points back of Bay FC for the final playoff spot with five matches to play.

“Our messaging to each other the last few weeks has been to believe in ourselves,” Angel City’s Madison Hammond said. “We are aware of where we are in the standings. It can be easy to create a negative atmosphere, but we see Alyssa [Thompson] pop off in the last few games scoring goals; so it isn’t our confidence, production or ability. It is more about creating momentum.”

Trailing by a goal heading into the latter stages of the second half, Emslie came to the rescue for Angel City in the 76th minute. Following a corner kick, Jasmyne Spencer got to a loose ball, dribbled past Isabelle Obaze into the penalty area, crossed into the six-yard box, keeper Mackenzie Arnold tried to make a play, but the ball went through her hands and towards the back post, and Emslie swooped in and buried the shot into the back net to level the match. Portland did have a chance to retake the lead in the 87th minute, as following a corner kick, Becky Sauerbrunn chipped a dangerous ball towards goal, but Angel City keeper Didi Haracic calmly parried the ball over the framework.

It took Angel City 10 minutes to get on the board. Madison Curry dispossessed Reyna Reyes of the ball at near midfield on the left side and got off a quick pass to Meggie Daugherty-Howard, who then got off a quick pass to Thompson, and Thompson dribbled down the left side into the penalty area and fired a shot that got past Arnold, deflected off the near post, but crossed the goal line into the back net to give Angel City the lead.

“I’m not seeing anything differently,” Thompson said of her recent run of form. “I’m just getting myself into better positions and am more confident in myself. Knowing that I can take the ball up to create something whether it be passing the ball off or by scoring.”

The Thorns however stormed back in the second half. Portland got the equalizer just four minutes into the second half, as Marie Muller beat Spencer to a ball near midfield and ignited a Thorns counter. A quick one-two between Muller and Christine Sinclair resulted in Muller passing into the penalty area to Morgan Weaver, who slotted the shot past Haracic near post to level matters. Portland pulled ahead in the 65th minute, as Sinclair played a ball to Kelli Hubly, who crossed into the penalty area, Reilyn Turner let the ball get to Olivia Moultrie, who brought the ball down, then fired a shot past Haracic into the back net to give the Thorns the lead.