LOS ANGELES, CA (March 27, 2026) - In a matchup of two undefeated teams, Angel City Football Club (ACFC) vanquished the Houston Dash, 2-1, Friday evening at BMO Stadium.
With the win, ACFC remained atop the league table, continuing the club’s best-ever start and becoming just the eighth team in NWSL history to open a season with a 3-0-0 record.
“There is no ceiling for this team,” Head Coach Alex Straus said. “We can be the best team in the world — but we will not be there tomorrow.”
Angel City scored twice in the opening minutes of the second half to take a 2-1 lead.
Forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir — the reigning NWSL Player of the Week — notched the equalizer in the 47th minute. Jónsdóttir’s long throw-in led to a header by midfielder Kennedy Fuller, which deflected off the crossbar. The ball bounced out to the edge of the penalty box, where the waiting Jónsdóttir fired a rocket through the Dash defense into the top-left corner of the Houston goal.
ACFC struck again in the 49th minute. Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell made an initial save when Angel City midfielder Maiara Niehues headed defender Gisele Thompson’s lofted cross on goal. But forward Riley Tiernan was waiting at the right post and pounced on the loose ball, putting ACFC ahead, 2-1.
The score was Tiernan’s fourth game-winning goal for Angel City — setting a club record early in her second NWSL season.
“Sveindís putting the ball in the net in the first [few minutes] of the second half really helped us to get some confidence and continue to play,” Tiernan said.
Goalkeeper Angelina Anderson made a spectacular save in the 51st minute. She firmly punched Houston forward Kiki Van Zanten’s high shot over the crossbar, preserving Angel City’s one-goal lead.
Houston kept ACFC’s potent offense at bay in the first half. Although Angel City held 57% of the possession, the Dash tallied the only goal, scoring in the 10th minute. Forward Makenzy Robbe headed a cross from the right side back towards the near post, where midfielder Maggie Graham was able to nod the ball into the ACFC net.
It was the first time all season that Angel City had trailed in a game. But Houston’s lead would not last.
“It’s all about how you respond, and there are two halves to a game,” Tiernan said. “We might not have necessarily won the first half, but that doesn’t matter – we have to put that behind us, and a one-nil lead is dangerous to have. So I think knowing that one goal [would get] us back in the game was the sliver of hope that we needed.”
Rookie forward Taylor Suarez saw significant action for ACFC, coming on for midfielder Nealy Martin in the 73rd minute. She took a shot from just outside the penalty box in the 78th minute, but her attempt was deflected on its way to Campbell.
“She made an impact [in] the last 10 minutes of the game,” Straus said of Suarez, adding, “She’s very skillful, very technical, very good between the lines.”
Angel City will next travel to Florida to face the Orlando Pride at 5 p.m. Pacific on Friday, April 3, at Inter&Co Stadium. The game will be televised on Prime Video.