Angel City will play the Washington Spirit at Audi Field on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 3:30 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on ION.
Last Time Out: Angel City Earns Shutout Win In Utah
Angel City FC earned a 3-0 win over Utah Royals FC on Sunday, Sept. 20, securing three points and moving into sixth place of the NWSL standings.
Angel City capitalized on a two-player advantage after Utah captain Paige Cronin and forward Cece Delzer both received red cards within the opening 25 minutes.
Delzer’s foul on Ary Borges in the 23rd minute set up a penalty kick for Angel City. Ally Sentnor converted from the spot in the 26th minute to give ACFC the 1-0 lead. The goal marked Sentnor’s third consecutive match with a converted penalty kick.
Taylor Suarez doubled the lead just 72 seconds into the second half after entering as substitute for Prisca Chilufya. The goal was Suarez’s third of the season and her second consecutive match scoring shortly after entering off the bench.
Sveindís Jónsdóttir added a third in the 67th minute bringing her season total to eight goals. The tally ties Maiara Niehues for the club lead in goals this season.
While Angel City’s attack continued to produce, goalkeeper Angelina Anderson recorded her eighth clean sheet of the season, establishing a new single-season club record.
“I’m really proud of the accomplishment,” Anderson said. “It takes a lot to get shutouts in this league. As defenders and goalkeepers, me, Emily Sams, and Sarah Gorden are warriors back there. Just as the offense scoring a lot of goals gives us a lot of confidence, the same goes the other way.”
Next Up: Angel City Faces Road Test in Washington
Angel City travels to Washington for another important matchup against the second-place Washington Spirit, who enter Saturday’s match following a 3-0 road win over the Chicago Stars FC on Sept. 20.
The Spirit have recorded 10 shutouts this season, with goalkeeper Sandy MacIver setting a new club single-season record with her 10th clean sheet in the victory over Chicago.
Trinity Rodman continues to lead the Washington attack. The forward scored her 11th goal of the season against Chicago. Her match-winning goal gave her nine game-winning goal contributions this season, tying the NWSL single-season record.
Angel City enters the matchup unbeaten in their last five matches. The club’s 43 goals this season places the club among the leagues’ top scoring attacks. ACFC’s offense has come from multiple scorers, with Ally Sentnor, Sveindís Jónsdóttir, and Taylor Suarez all finding the net across the club’s last two victories.
The Angel City offense will look to break a Spirit defense that has allowed just 23 goals this season.
Angel City has also found consistency defensively, allowing just one goal across its last two matches. Sarah Gorden and Emily Sams continue to anchor Angel City’s backline, while Gorden leads the club in blocks and clearances.
Saturday’s matchup will pit one of the league’s top-scoring attacks against one of its strongest defenses.
In the Spotlight: Ally Sentnor
Ally Sentnor enters Saturday's matchup in strong form after earning Angel City FC’s Player of the Match against Utah.
Sentnor has contributed to a goal in five consecutive matches and has converted a penalty kick in each of her last three appearances.
The midfielder's latest goal brought her season total to five since joining Angel City in June following a trade from the Kansas City Current. Sentnor signed a contract extension through the 2029 season shortly after arriving in Los Angeles.
In Angel City’s previous meeting with Washington, Sentnor played a key role scoring the 85th-minute equalizer to secure the 1-1 draw at home.
Sentnor’s recent scoring run has added another dimension to Angel City’s attack as the club nears the postseason.