Angel City FC Notches 3-1 Win Against Seattle Reign FC In Key Matchup

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 16, 2026) - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) secured the first 10-win season in club history Wednesday night, defeating Seattle Reign FC 3-1 at BMO Stadium in a critical win that keeps the club in playoff contention.

“There is a competitive spirit in us now that I like a lot and that really pays off,” said Interim Head Coach Leif Smerud. “There was a lot of pressure going into this game. We knew how important it was, and to deal with that in the way we did, I'm very impressed by the team.”

Ally Sentnor opened the scoring in the 20th minute from the penalty spot, converting her second consecutive penalty kick after also finding the net from the spot in Angel City’s 3-3 draw against Denver Summit FC five days earlier. The goal marked Sentnor’s fourth of the season.

Seattle came close to an equalizer in the 25th minute when Jess Fishlock’s effort struck the left post, but Angel City’s defense quickly cleared the attempt with Emily Sams blocking the ball. Angelina Anderson made two saves in the opening half, including a stop on Maddie Mercado’s attempt in the 30th minute, to preserve the lead.

Angel City doubled its advantage in the 40th minute for a 2-0 lead. After a corner kick, Evelyn Shores delivered a cross into the box, where Ary Borges headed it into the bottom-left corner for her third goal of the season. 

For Borges, the goal carried an added personal significance, as the midfielder welcomed her first daughter on Sept. 4, 2026. Less than two weeks later, Borges returned to the pitch for a crucial goal for ACFC. 

“I’m so happy; it’s a special moment for me, to have my little girl with us,” Borges said. “I’m so happy to score goals and [I know] how important this game was for us.”

Angel City added a third in the 81st minute, just moments after Taylor Suarez entered the match. Suarez collected the ball and fired a shot from the center of the box into the top-right corner. Shores recorded her second assist of the night and sixth of the season.

The goal put Suarez into the NWSL history books as the fastest in-game substitute goal in league history, coming just 21 seconds after she entered the match.

“I just saw the opening to run and finish, and that's what I did,” Suarez said. “Playing professionally was a dream of mine since I was a little girl, so being able to have my name in the history books is pretty cool. Anything I can do to help this team, whether it’s starting the game, coming off the bench, it feels great.”

The goal marked Suarez’s second of her rookie season with Angel City.

“I’ve challenged Taylor on one thing, and that’s output,” Smerud said. “She is very good at creating separation. She’s a hard worker, a good dribbler, and a promising player.”

Seattle found a late breakthrough in the second minute of stoppage time when Sofia Huerta scored from outside the box to make it 3-1, but Angel City closed out the match to secure all three points.

With three goals against Seattle, Angel City established a new club record with four consecutive multi-goal matches. The result also added another milestone to a record-setting 2026 campaign that includes club highs in goals, clean sheets, and road wins.

Angel City will play Utah Royals FC on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 4:00 p.m. PT at America First Field. The match will be televised on NWSL+.