Angel City FC Travels to San Diego to Face SoCal Rival

Angel City Football Club (ACFC) will face San Diego Wave FC at Snapdragon Stadium at 5:45 p.m. PT on Saturday. The match will be televised on ION.

Last Time Out: Jónsdóttir, Niehues Lead ACFC to Win vs. Pride

Angel City came out of the NWSL break in impressive fashion, defeating the Orlando Pride, 2-0, on July 3 at BMO Stadium.

Midfielder Maiara Niehues and forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir scored, with goalkeeper Angelina Anderson earning her third clean sheet of the season. ACFC (5-6-1) held Orlando to just one shot on target the entire match.

Midfielder Ally Sentnor made her Angel City debut after being acquired from the Kansas City Current over the break and was an immediate factor, leading ACFC’s high press and taking several set pieces. 

“[Interim Head Coach Leif Gunnar Smerud] just said to the forwards, [and] in general, a lot of the attacking players [to] really be free and be yourself, which I have very much appreciated,” Sentnor said. “It's made me feel very comfortable on this team.”

Jónsdóttir made her return from a foot injury and scored for the first time since March 27. Defender Gisele Thompson played in her 50th match for the club.

The win came in Smerud’s first contest leading the club and avenged a 2-1 loss to the Pride at Inter&Co Stadium in early April. With the victory, Angel City moved to ninth in the NWSL standings – just one point behind eighth-place Orlando (with a game in hand).

“It was a good win against a very good team that has a lot of experience, and I think the way the players today showed character,” Smerud said.

Next Up: Godfrey and League-Leading San Diego

The Wave will host ACFC in the second match of their Southern California derby this season with the top spot in the league table on the line. San Diego (9-4-1) has earned points in five of their last six matches, including a 2-1 win in Los Angeles on May 9.

One of the leading forces in the Wave’s offense has been midfielder Lia Godfrey. The NWSL rookie has four goals and four assists in 14 matches – including setting up forward Trinity Byars’s goal in a 2-0 San Diego triumph over Gotham FC on July 4.

Angel City has played the Wave nine times over five seasons and has a 3-3-3 record overall.

In the Spotlight: Endo Energizes ACFC Attack

Forward Jun Endo was a significant engine in Angel City’s offense against Orlando. She formed part of a new-look front three with Sentnor and Jónsdóttir that put relentless pressure on the Pride’s back line.

Endo was in the midst of a series of chances for ACFC in the first half, including setting up Sentnor at the edge of the six-yard box in the 14th minute and firing a shot on goal from close range in the 16th minute.

Endo also put a dangerous cross into the box in the 35th minute. The ball bounced off of a few players before falling to Jónsdóttir, who launched a shot just wide of the left post.

Although Endo has yet to score this season, her form suggests that she will continue to power Angel City in the second half of the season.