Angel City limps into Olympic break with loss to Gotham

The Olympic Break could not come soon enough for Angel City FC.

NY/NJ Gotham FC took control of its match against Angel City in the first half, getting goals from Rose Lavelle and Delanie Sheehan, and while Claire Emslie’s second half goal kept Angel City in the match, ultimately Gotham’s two-goal lead was too much to overcome, and Gotham left BMO Stadium with the 2-1 win.

“We have to look at how this year’s been really difficult in terms of getting players minutes because there is no Challenge Cup in the middle of the season,” Angel City head coach Becki Tweed said. “This is a good opportunity for us to have a little reset, a little refresh. Everybody needs this break to take some time away mentally and physically.”

The win maintains Gotham’s spot in the top four of of the League Standings, improving to 31 points and a 9-3-4 record. Angel City (4-9-3, 15 points) are in 11th place, but still three points from a playoff spot.

“Everything is possible for this club and this group of players,” Angel City’s Ali Riley said. “It’s frustrating when the pieces don’t completely fit together. It’s frustrating for everyone who wants so much from this group. All of the work will be put into making change for the better.”

Gotham took the lead in the 17th minute on a prefect sequence. Gotham passed around Angel City’s side of the field, then made its move when Ella Steven played a ball to Crystal Dun, who then sprung Lavelle, who kept herself onside, into the penalty area, a quick touch was followed by a right-footed volley that sailed past keeper Didi Haracic at the far post. More crisp passing enabled Gotham to double its lead in the 40th minute, as Lavelle played Stevens into the penalty area, Stevens beat Haracic to a ball, but Stevens left a ball inside the six-yard box and Sheehan finished the open netter.

Angel City managed to make a game of it in the second half. Things actually started in the 63rd minute, as Madison Hammond played Giselle Thompson into the penalty area, Freeman challenged and tackled Thompson and Lynn Williams eventually dribbled out of the penalty area. However referee Katja Koroleva soon got the call from VAR ref Shawn Tehini to take a second look at the play, and they saw that on Freeman’s tackle on Thompson, Freeman’s right foot clipped Thompson’s left foot, and Koroleva soon signaled Angel City to the penalty spot. Claire Emslie stepped up to the spot and converted in the 69th minute, which got Angel City back into the game. Despite the brief scare, Gotham was able to control the match from there on, and they actually were the ones with the best chance to score the game’s fourth goal in the 89th minute, as Lynn Williams shot a volley inside the penalty area that bounced off the crossbar.

“It was 45 minutes too late,” Tweed said regarding Angel City’s performance in the second half. “We have to make that choice earlier. Again, this league punishes you. If I was to take any positives, it has to be the second half because we limited their chances. The chances they had were in transition because we were brave. At half time, I asked them to be brave, go out and leave everything you have on the field. That’s what they gave us as a group in the second half.”

For Angel City, the upcoming month will provide an opportunity for the team to reset. Angel City won’t play a competitive match until July 20, when it hosts Club America in the first game of the inaugural NWSL vs. Liga Mx Summer Cup, and won’t resume league play until September 1 at home against Chicago. The break combined with its two summer games will provide the team with an opportunity to not only bring in players, but have the practice time as well as some games to smoothly transition said new players into its game plan so that the team can be ready to go and get back into the playoff race once league play resumes.

One player the team could surely use is Christen Press. The star striker has not played since June of 2022 after tearing her ACL, but after a lengthy and challenging rehab process, things might finally start to be looking up for Press, as she has resumed training with the team full time. Also, the team is on the verge of adding a new controlling owner, as it has been reported that Disney CEO Bob Iger, along with wife Willow Bay, dean of the USC Annenberg School of Journalism, will buy a stake in the franchise in a deal that will see the couple invest $250 million in the franchise. The potential sale could provide Angel City with the financial resources to make any potential player signings within the next month a reality.