LOS ANGELES (July 3, 2026) - Playing in its first match in over a month, Angel City Football Club (ACFC) showed almost no signs of rust, defeating the Orlando Pride, 2-0, Friday evening at BMO Stadium.
Midfielder Maiara Niehues and forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir scored in the victory, with goalkeeper Angelina Anderson earning the clean sheet.
The win came in Interim Head Coach Leif Gunnar Smerud’s first contest leading the club and avenged a 2-1 loss to Orlando at Inter&Co Stadium in early April.
“It was a good win against a very good team that has a lot of experience, and I think the way the players today showed character,” Smerud said.
Midfielder Ally Sentnor made her debut for Angel City and was an immediate factor, leading ACFC’s high press and taking several set pieces.
Niehues scored the opening goal of the match in the 36th minute. Midfielder Ary Borges’s initial attempt was blocked by the Pride defense. But the ball fell right to Niehues, who powered a shot from the right side of the penalty box into the left side of the Orlando net and now leads the club in goals with four.
Jónsdóttir returned to the lineup after missing several contests prior to the break due to injury and added to Angel City’s lead in the 56th minute. She stole the ball from Pride defender Rafaelle before accelerating into the right side of the 18-yard box and launching a low shot past helpless Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse.
“She's really important for us,” said Smerud of Jónsdóttir. “She has the quality to run in behind to press well, and I saw Sveindís giving everything she had to the team, as she always does.”
The Pride ramped up its attack in the second half, with forward Marta orchestrating the offense. However, the Angel City defense continued to absorb the pressure.
Orlando attacker Solai Washington broke in on goal from the left side of the box in the 80th minute, but Anderson made a diving stop to thwart the Pride’s only shot on target of the match.
ACFC dominated the offensive opportunities in the first half, outshooting Orlando, 10-2, and preventing the Pride from generating any shots on goal.
After the match, Sentnor noted that she already felt at home with her new club.
“In a game like this, you are also going to have some periods where you have to defend and fight,” Smerud said, adding, “All credit to the players. They left everything on the pitch.”
“One of the biggest things is the girls being so welcoming and inclusive to me, coming in and really just letting me be myself and letting each other be ourselves and building those connections,” Sentnor said.
ACFC will next travel to face San Diego Wave FC at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, July 11, at 5:45 p.m. The match will be televised on ION.