Angel City defeats Bay FC

It appears this may finally the year for Angel City FC.

One week after routing Chicago at home in its season opener, Angel City went up North to San Jose and put on a performance against Bay FC that showed that that win last week was not a fluke. Angel City scored two first half goal, tripled the lead early in the second half, and even when Bay FC scored, Angel City did not let up, and came out of PayPal Park with a 3-1 win.

“I’m very, very proud of the performance of the players,” Angel City head coach Alex Straus said. “They managed the game. They played on a result [and]know how important those three points can be at [the]end of October, start of November.”

Sveindís Jonsdottir was the catalyst for Angel City on Saturday evening. Jonsdottir scored two goals and assisted on Gisele Thompson’s goal in the 32nd minute, as Angel City for the first time in its young history started a season with back to back wins.

“It’s all about timing,” Jónsdóttir said. “So, it’s good for me that I can be on full speed and get the ball and then I know that I can score.”

Angel City struck just three minutes into the match. Kennedy Fuller sprung Jonsdottir with a long ball, Jonsdottir got behind Bay FC defender Brooklyn Courtnall, dribbled into the penalty area and slotted the shot past Jordan Silkowitz into the back net. Jonsdottir played the role of helper on Angel City’s second goal in the 32nd minute, as Evelyn Shores sprung Jonsdottir down the left side, Jonsdottir dribbled into the penalty area, but chose to play a ball right, and Thompson shot a right-footed shot just outside the six-yard box past a scrambling Silkowitz into the back net.

Jonsdottir tripled the Angel City advantage in the 53rd minute, and it came rather easy. Shores sent a corner kick into the penalty area, and Jonsdottir headed a ball into the back net to get her brace. Bay FC however responded three minutes later, as Taylor Huff dribbled forward, played a ball to Cristiana Girelli, who immediately passed back to Huff, and the one-two freed up Huff inside the penalty area, Huff fired a ball that beat keeper Angelina Anderson, bounced off the back post, but managed to cross the goal line to get Bay FC on the board. Angel City however made sure that was the only blemish on an otherwise beautiful evening.

“It’s a local derby,” Straus said on the budding rivalry between the two California sides. “It’s important for us in California to win those games and to give that to our fans.”

Angel City looks to carry the momentum into Friday’s match, in which they will host the Houston Dash.