Angel City Football Club (ACFC) will play in its third match in seven days when it travels to Houston to face the Dash at Shell Energy Stadium at 5:45 p.m. PT on Saturday. The match will be televised on ION.
Last Time Out: Thompson, Fuller Outpower the Current
Angel City FC got back in the win column on Wednesday evening, defeating the Kansas City Current, 2-1, at BMO Stadium. The victory was the first for ACFC (4-4-1) since it started the season with a club-record 3-0-0 start.
Defender Gisele Thompson drove the offense with a goal and an assist, scoring in the ninth minute to give Angel City the 1-0 lead and then setting up midfielder Kennedy Fuller’s game-winning tally in the 72nd minute.
Goalkeeper Angelina Anderson looked sharp for the second straight match. The netminder made a crucial save to preserve a 1-1 tie in the 54th minute before stopping a penalty by Kansas City midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta in the 57th minute.
Next Up: Rader and the Dash
ACFC travels to Texas to face Houston (3-5-2) for the second time this season after winning the squads’ first contest in late March. Forwards Sveindís Jónsdóttir and Riley Tiernan scored in the match at BMO Stadium to give Angel City a 2-1 triumph.
The Dash also played on Wednesday night, drawing with San Diego Wave FC, 2-2, at home. Forward Kat Rader scored for Houston and is up to three goals this season.
Prior to the match against the Wave, the Dash had only scored one total goal in five matches. With Anderson in fine form, Rader and Houston could struggle to pierce the Angel City defense.
ACFC has historically dominated the Dash in their matches, holding a 4-1-4 edge since 2022.
In the Spotlight: Fuller Stars as Substitute
Fuller made the most of her limited minutes on Wednesday, coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute before scoring just moments later. The midfielder almost added to the lead with a shot that bounced off the top-left corner in the 80th minute.
“That’s what we talk about every day – the players that start the game need to do their job, and then you have quality coming into the game [to] finish the games off,” said Head Coach Alex Straus after the match, adding, “And today Kennedy was a finisher, and she came on and won us the game.”
Fuller has started five matches this season, but she is now making the most of her recent role as a reserve player. The 19-year-old continues to show growth and maturity in her third season with ACFC.
“My biggest job this week and last week… [has] just been putting in time and training and really focusing on what [the coaches] need from me,” Fuller said after the match. “And then whenever I do get my chance, just really work hard and do what they’re asking, because each game is going to be different.”
