LOS ANGELES, CA (Oct. 24, 2026 ) - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) celebrated their NWSL playoff berth with a 2-0 victory over Bay FC on Saturday at BMO Stadium, extending their unbeaten streak to nine matches. Gisele Thompson and Riley Tiernan scored in the second half, while goalkeeper Angelina Anderson recorded her 10th clean sheet of the season.
“We made sure to do our best to really focus in on this game,” Anderson said. “We really want to go into the playoffs with a lot of good momentum from having really good performances these last two games of the regular season.”
Taylor Suarez made her second consecutive start and tested Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz in the opening minute. Angel City continued to create opportunities in the first half as Ary Borges sent a close-range header just wide to the left post in the third minute. Evelyn Shores forced a save from Silkowitz in the 34th minute.
The sides entered halftime scoreless, but Angel City found their breakthrough just four minutes into the second half.
In the 49th minute, Maiara Niehues set up Thompson, who fired a shot from the right side of the box to the top-right corner to give Angel City a 1-0 lead. The goal was Thompson’s fifth of the season, adding to the defender’s recent recognition as NWSL Player of the Week.
“I am very impressed by Gisele,” Interim Head Coach Leif Smeurd said. “She’s been fantastic for us. She can play every game, every minute. She has both physicality and technicality to be such a young player at a very high level. She’s a machine as well. She does her job and more.”
Angel City continued to search for a second goal as the half progressed. Shores sent a header over the crossbar in the 54th minute, while Sveindís Jónsdóttir tested Silkowitz with a close shot in the 70th minute.
In the 83rd minute, Nealy Martin delivered the assist for Tiernan, who finished from close range with a shot into the center of the goal. The goal marked Tiernan’s second goal of the season and doubled Angel City’s lead to 2-0. Martin also secured her second assist of the season. Both players entered as second-half substitutes and made an immediate impact.
“What makes our team so special is not just our togetherness, but our bench, the energy they bring, and the way they come on,” Gorden said. “When you have a bench that is sacrificing for the team, and then comes on and makes a difference, that’s how you close out games.”
Angel City held on through the final minutes to secure the shutout and another three points at home. The win also marked the club’s first-ever 50-goal season. With their playoff place secured, Angel City will look to carry their nine-match unbeaten run into the postseason.
“We have been playing playoff games the whole fall because there has been a lot of pressure, and I think this team deals with that very well,” Smeurd said. “I don’t think we have to change a lot going into playoffs. This is a team with a lot of energy now.”
Angel City will play their final regular-season match against Boston Legacy FC on Sunday, Nov. 1 at Dignity Health Sports Park at 2:00 p.m. PT. Ahead of kickoff, Angel City will welcome fans to the club’s Celebración de Culturas fest starting at 12:30 p.m. PT.