Angel City, Kansas City Current split points

The NWSL season is getting to the portion of the season now that any point gained will gladly be taken.

For Angel City FC, having to play no a hot summer night in Kansas City against a Current side sitting in fourth place, getting a point in said said circumstances will be seen as a victory of sorts. Taylor Suarez scored Angel City’s lone goal of the match, and it was good enough for Angel City to get a positive result out of the match, as Angel City played Kansas City to a 1-1 draw at CPKC Stadium on Saturday.

“It was good to get that point, and on an away trip, it felt important and good for the mentality and the spirit of the group as well,” Interim Head Coach Leif Gunnar Smerud said. “It’s a skill to play these away games against good teams, and this was a confirmation of the character of the group.”

Suarez’s goal was the first of her professional career. Angel City also got a huge performance from keeper Angelina Anderson, who made several key saves in the match, as the point earned in the match keeps Angel City (7-7-2, 23 points) in the eighth and final playoff spot.

“It was very important for us that we left our hearts out on the field, and I feel like that’s what we did today,” Suarez said.

Emily Sams passed to Claire Emslie, who then dribbled forward, Emslie then played a ball to Carina Lageyre, who then passed forward to Suarez, who got  in between two Current defenders as she touched into the penalty area, then fired a right-footed shot that beat keeper Marisa Jordan far post to give Angel City the early lead.

“Lageyre is a great passer and has great vision, so I knew that if I could find myself in the right spot, she would [get]me the ball, and that’s exactly what she did,” Suarez said. “She played me a perfect through ball, and I knew I had to finish it right then and there.”

Kansas City had its response in the 26th minute. Izzy Rodriguez dribbled down the left side of the field, sent a left-footed cross into the penalty area and Hopkins one-timed a left-footed volley just outside the six-yard box past keeper Angelina Anderson into the back net to even the score at a goal apiece. The Current had chance to take the lead in the 32nd minute, as Amelia White went one on one with Sophia Mattice on the right side of the field, White maneuvered past Mattice as she dribbled into the penalty area and fired a left-footed shot for the near post at the upper corner, but Anderson came through this time, as she got her right hand on the shot and send the ball over the framework.

Both teams had their chances throughout the remainder of the match. Angel City had two chances in the second half, both by Suarez, with the first coming in the 51st minute, as Ally Sentnor maneuvered past a pair of Kansas City defenders to dribble into the penalty area, played a ball to her left to Suarez, and Suarez fired a left-footed shot at goal, but Jordan made the save. Another chance from Angel City came in the 69th minute, as Lageyre passed to Gisele Thompson on the right side, Sentnor crossed into the penalty area to an unmarked Suarez, but Suarez’s header went over goal.

Kansas City’s first great chance of the second half came in the 60th minute, as Rocky Rodriguez fired a right-footed volley from about 27-yards out, the shot  went towards the near post, and Anderson dived and parried the shot with her right hand over the end line. The Current had another good look in the 76th minute, as  Hopkins played a ball to Croix Bethune, who touched a ball past Sams into the penalty area, fired a right-footed shot that was stopped by Anderson, but Kansas City regained possession, Hopkins played Lo’eau LaBonta forward, LaBonta took a left-footed shot that just missed the near post. Kansas City had one last shot to grab all three points in stoppage time, as LaBonta fired a right-footed volley just outside the penalty are that just missed the back post.

“It spreads a [sense]of security and a good vibe, a feeling that we have someone behind us taking care of the shots, especially from distance,” said Smerud of Anderson’s performance in goal. “So we try to force the shots to come from certain areas, and we know that [Anderson] is good at [stopping those].”

Angel City remains on the road next week, this time to Seattle for a Sunday evening matinee with the Reign.