INDIO, CA (February 21, 2026) - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) dominated possession for most of the second half but lost, 1-0, to Seattle Reign FC in its second and final match of the Coachella Valley Invitational.
Seattle forward Nérelia Mondesir scored the lone goal of the game in the 54th minute. She received the ball at the edge of the penalty box off a deflection and fired a shot into the lower left corner of the net.
Angel City had a promising chance to equalize when it was awarded an indirect free kick inside the penalty box in the 88th minute after a back-pass was illegally handled by Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey. But midfielder Kennedy Fuller’s shot attempt was blocked by the Reign.
“We didn't get the result that we wanted, but we did have a lot of chances on goal,” said Angel City defender Gisele Thompson. “It's still preseason, so we're going to bring as much as we can into the season, learn from our mistakes, and be better than we were today.”
Midfielder Hina Sugita was a central force for Angel City throughout the first 80 minutes. She controlled the pace of play and generated multiple chances from corners and free kicks.
In the 53rd minute, Sugita dropped a long ball from a midfield free kick near two teammates at Seattle’s right post. But defender Evelyn Shores and midfielder Nealy Martin were not able to redirect the ball on target.
“When we broke the press of Seattle and got out, we had some really good moments,” said Angel City head coach Alexander Straus. “And defensively, we want to press, and we did that well.”
The first half was marked by strong play by both sides, but neither team was able to score.
Angel City had multiple opportunities in the 31st minute. Sugita took a corner from the right flag that Dickey mishandled. Forward Riley Tiernan was able to get a touch on the loose ball, but Seattle defender Sofia Huerta blocked the ball on the goal line. Angel City midfielder Ary Borges redirected the clearance with a header on goal, but Dickey was able to corral the attempt.
Seattle’s best chance of the first half came in the 32nd minute, when forward Maddie Mercado one-timed a shot off of the crossbar. The Reign also earned five corners in the first half but struggled to generate many shots on goal against the Angel City defense.
Thompson had an opportunity in the ninth minute. She received a cross-field pass from Tiernan and, after a long run, launched a shot from the edge of the penalty box. A Seattle defender deflected Thompson’s shot, resulting in an Angel City corner.
Angel City had its first scoring chance of the game in the fifth minute. Tiernan back-heeled a pass to midfielder Maiara Niehues, who drove a low shot on goal but was denied by Dickey.
Defender Emily Sams played in her first game for Angel City after being acquired from the Orlando Pride in the offseason.
“It felt great to finally put into a game what we’ve been practicing for the last couple of weeks,” Sams said. “I just feel super excited about the potential that we have, and I think we look really good even though we didn’t get the results.”
Angel City defender Savy King made her second consecutive start and played the entire first half as she continues her recovery from a cardiac incident last May.
Goalkeeper Hannah Seabert started the game for Angel City and kept a clean sheet in the opening half.
Angel City will kick off the regular season at BMO Stadium at 4 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, March 15, vs. the Chicago Stars. The game will be streamed on Victory+.
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