Angel City returns home to host Denver Summit FC on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7:00 p.m. PT at BMO Stadium. The club will celebrate Black Excellence Theme Night, and the match will be televised on ION and locally on NWSL+.
Last Time Out: Angel City Builds Momentum on the Road
Angel City FC earned a second consecutive road win with a 2-0 victory over Racing Louisville FC on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Lynn Family Stadium.
“A lot of people talked about how difficult it is to win away in this league, and I think it says very much about this group of players, they love being together. They showed that they can fight,” Interim Head Coach Leif Smerud said. “They are really one unit, and when you have that group mentality going, that's the foundation to become a really good team.”
The win was powered by defender Evelyn Shores, who recorded her first career brace and game-winning goal. The defender opened up scoring in the 69th minute, with an assist by defender Sarah Gorden, and later struck in the first minute of stoppage time with an assist from midfielder Ally Sentnor.
Shores was supported by a strong Angel City backline, with Gorden, Savy King, and Emily Sams making key stops to limit Louisville's attacking opportunities.
“I can't say enough about our defensive unit. It's such an awesome thing to be able to play with Sarah and Savy, and Angelina, just everyone back there,” Shores said. “Even people coming in off the bench, just giving us the boost defensively.”
Goalkeeper Angelina Anderson recorded her seventh shutout of the season to help secure six points across Angel City’s two road matches. ACFC now sit in eighth place in the NWSL standings.
Next Up: Angel City Welcomes Denver
Friday’s matchup will mark the first-ever meeting between Angel City and Denver Summit FC, a club competing in its inaugural NWSL season.
The Summit arrive in Los Angeles following a 3-0 victory over reigning National Champion Gotham FC on Sept. 6. Denver’s victory marked the club’s fifth shutout on the season, with goalkeeper Kat Asman making four saves against Gotham.
Denver has found a rhythm offensively, tallying nine goals across their last two matches with five different players finding the back of the net. Forward Janine Sonis leads the Summit with nine goals on the season.
Angel City will counter with one of the league’s strongest defensive units. ACFC has allowed just 24 goals on the season, the third-fewest in the NWSL.
ACFC has shown its ability to generate offense as well, entering Friday’s match with a record-breaking 34 goals, ranking among the league’s top five scoring teams.
In the Spotlight: Shores Shines
After delivering a career-best performance against Racing Louisville FC, Evelyn Shores will be one to watch as Angel City returns home.
The defender’s brace not only secured three points for ACFC, but also highlighted her ability to contribute on both sides of the ball.
“The quality of Evelyn is very good. She can play both ways,” Smerud said. “She can hit crosses, head shots, and she can join in without the ball. Her performance made a big difference. She's a very promising player who already plays at a high level.”
Shores now has three goals and five assists this season, emerging as an important piece of Angel City’s unit.
This Week at BMO Stadium: ACFC Celebrates Black Excellence
As Angel City welcomes Denver to BMO Stadium, the club will celebrate Black Excellence Theme Night, honoring Black achievement, resilience, and community.
The evening will feature several performances throughout the match, beginning with the National Anthem performed by United States Navy veteran Keisa Souza, and the inaugural three-clap by WNBA icons Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike. The pre-game festivities will include a performance by Divas & Drummers of Compton, while the Cardinal Divas of USC will perform at halftime.
The first 5,000 fans in attendance at Friday's match will receive a limited-edition “Immigrant City” pin, the fourth in ACFC’s collectible five-pin series.
