Angel City Football Club will play Denver Summit FC at Centennial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 5:45 p.m. PT. The match will be televised on ION.
Last Time Out: Late Game Equalizer
Angel City FC extended their unbeaten run to seven matches with a 1-1 draw against first-place Gotham FC on Oct. 4 at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
Playing through rainy conditions, Angel City held Gotham without a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, with goalkeeper Angelina Anderson making saves on Sam Kerr and Jaedyn Shaw to keep the match scoreless at halftime.
Gotham took a 1-0 lead in the 66th minute when Shaw finished in the center of the box for her 10th goal of the season.
Forward Taylor Suarez scored the equalizer in the first minute of stoppage time, as Emily Sams found the rookie near the front post, where Suarez finished to secure a point on the road against the reigning NWSL champions.
The goal marked Suarez’s third off the bench in her last four appearances. The result moved ACFC to sixth in the NWSL standings.
“Whether we go up a goal or we go down a goal, we are fighting ‘til the very end,” Suarez said. “That message has been the same throughout training, throughout this year — to just always have that heart and determination, no matter what happens in the game.”
Next Up: A Rematch With Denver
The first meeting between ACFC and Denver ended in a 3-3 draw at BMO Stadium on Sept. 11, with Maiara Niehues, Prisca Chilufya, and Ally Sentnor finding the back of the net for ACFC.
Denver enters the rematch coming off of a 3-0 win over the Chicago Stars on Oct. 4. Janine Sonis continues to lead the attack with 12 goals and six assists this season. Yaazmeen Ryan has also contributed six goals and four assists.
Goalkeeper Abby Smith is a key defensive factor for Denver, as she recently reached 20 regular-season shutouts, becoming the 14th player in NWSL history to reach the milestone.
Angel City will look to add to their scoring streak as one of the league’s top-scoring teams with 45 goals this season. ACFC has scored in each of their last seven matches, with its attack continuing to come from multiple players including Niehues, Chilufya, Sentnor, Suarez, Sveindís Jónsdóttir, Ary Borges, and Evelyn Shores.
Defensively, Angel City has allowed 29 goals through 27 matches. Sams and captain Sarah Gorden have remained staples of the back line, helping anchor a defense that has recorded nine clean sheets.
Angel City will look to control the game defensively while using their attacking depth to create chances.
In the Spotlight: Suarez Strikes Again
Suarez has continued to make an impact for Angel City, with the rookie emerging as a consistent late-game threat.
With three final matches remaining in the regular season, Angel City will look to Suarez to be a spark, as the club hopes to make its first postseason appearance since 2023.
Most recently, the forward entered in the 83rd minute against Gotham FC and scored in the 91st-minute equalizer to help Angel City earn a point on the road.
Her recent run has highlighted Angel City’s offensive options, with Suarez taking advantage of her opportunities when called upon.
“Several players are developing and [Taylor] is really doing that,” Smerud said. “To have players in a squad where people work for each other and know we can leave everything on the pitch, and then we can make a sub to bring on fresh legs that can score goals — she’s been amazing the last few games.”