Angel City in contention for playoffs following win over Bay FC

Could Angel City be turning the corner?

Angel City started out well in its Labor Day matchup with Northern California rival Bay FC, with Riley Tiernan staking the home side out to the early lead. While Bay FC ultimately made a game out of it, Angel City summoned the resolve to vault themselves back up front. Maiara Carolina Niehues played the role of hero for Angel City, as her goal late in the second half carried Angel City to the 2-1 win at BMO Stadium.

“A win at home is what we’re always working for,” Angel City defender and captain Sarah Gorden said. “We’ve had two really intense weeks of training, and it shows on the field. It was a great team effort, and everyone stepped in, leading to a great performance.”

The three points earned in the match was vital for Angel City, who climbed over the North Carolina Courage in the standings to remain one point back of Gotham FC for the final playoff spot. Angel City is now unbeaten in its last three matches heading into a crucial two-match road trip that will see them face the very two teams, Gotham next week and the Courage the week after, both of whom they are contending with for the eighth spot.

Tied at one, Angel City wrestled the lead back in the 77th minute. Miyabi Moriya sent a corner kick into the penalty area and Neihues headed a ball outside the six-yard box, and the ball sailed over the outstretched hands of keeper Jordan Silkowitz and into the bask net at the far post to put Angel City back in front. Angel City was able to kill off the remaining time to get the win.

Tiernan gave Angel City the lead in the 12 minute. M.A Vignolia sprung Tiernan down the left side, Tiernan then rounded Bay FC’s Kelli Hubly and dribbled all the way into the penalty area, and even after drawing defenders towards her, still kept the ball, then saw a sightline and took advantage of it, as she fired a left-footed shot that beat Silkowitz far post to give Angel City the lead early.

“It was a one-vs-one down the line and I took an extra touch in front of her,” Tiernan said. “Once I got in front of her, I felt really confident. I saw two defenders coming, so I went the opposite way and then [saw]an opening in the back post, and passed it in.”

Bay FC looked for a response throughout the first half. The first chance for Bay FC came when Rachel Kudananji played a ball to Megan Hill, who found herself unmarked inside the penalty area with only keeper Hannah Seabert to beat. Seabert however won the battle, as she sent back Hill’s shot. Another chance for Bay FC came in the 31st minute, as Taylor Huff passed to Jamie Shepherd near the penalty spot, Shepherd passed to Alyssa Malonson, and she took a shot that got past Seabert, but Gordon was in the right place at the right time, as she cleared the ball inside the six-yard box. Bay FC’s persistence finally paid off in the 37th minute, as  Tess Boade played Hill into the penalty area, Hill took a shot, Seabert got her left hand on the shot, only to see the ball fall back to Hill’s feet, and Hill slotted the ball into the open net for the equalizer.