Angel City gets big road win over Louisville

Angel City closed out its three-match road trip on a positive note on Saturday night.

Evelyn Shores saw to that on Saturday night, and it was Racing Louisville that paid the price. Shores got a brace in the match, and her performance combined with a lockdown defense that kept Louisville off the scoresheet enabled Angel City to get the 2-0 win at Lynn Family Stadium.

“Today was a grind, and to win a game like this in the way we did, tells the players that this is what it takes,” Interim Head Coach Leif Smerud said. “I praised the group before the game today, because I think the atmosphere, the togetherness, is really good.”

The result enabled Angel City to earn back-to-back wins for the first time since starting off the second half of the season with three straight wins and also avenges a home-loss to Louisville a little more than a month ago that ironically ended that aforementioned winning streak. The win also enabled Angel City (9-8-5, 32 points) to pull a point ahead of the Seattle Reign for the final NWSL playoff spot, even as that joy only lasted 24 hours as Seattle defeated San Diego Wave FC to reclaim said spot heading into the next week’s set of matches. Nevertheless, Angel City showed this week that it intends to stay in the playoff chase until the very end.

“Being able to come out with a clean sheet also says a lot about our team, making a push for the playoffs, and I’m just looking forward to what’s coming this season,” Shores said

Scoreless for 68 minutes, Shore pushed Angel City ahead in spectacular fashion in the 69th minute. Shores received a ball from Sarah Gorden, assessed her options, and determined that shooting the ball was the best goal, and it turned out to be the right call, as she fired a left-footed volley just outside the penalty area, and the shot beat keeper Jordyn Bloomer far post to give Angel City the lead.

Angel City did have to survive a brief scare in the 85th minute. Ella Hase crossed into the penalty area, Maja Lardner one-timed a right-footed volley towards goal, the shot was out of the reach of keeper Angelina Anderson, but the keeper was saved by the framework, as the ball went off the crossbar and back into play, and Angel City eventually cleared out the danger.

“I can’t say enough about our defensive unit. It’s such an awesome thing to be able to play with Sarah, Savy and Angelina — everyone back there. Even people coming in off the bench, just giving us the boost defensively,” said Shores.

Shores then sealed the three points for Angel City in the 90th minute. It started when Riley Tiernan won a ball just inside the halfway line on Louisville’s side of the field, passed to Ally Sentnor, and the break was on. Sentnor dribbled into the penalty area, looked to shoot, but saw Shores overlapping on her left side and thus chose to play a ball to Shores, who following a quick touch, fired a right-footed shot that beat Bloomer far post to double the Angel City advantage.

“The quality of Evelyn is very good. She can play both ways,” Smerud said. “She can hit crosses, head shots, and she can join in without the ball. Her performance today was top, and made a big difference. She’s a very promising player who already plays at a high level.”

Angel City if finally back home this coming Friday, as they host the Denver Summit.