This Friday, September 1, at 5:00 p.m., Angel City is on the road against Kansas City Current. The match will stream in the US on Paramount+ and internationally at NWSLSoccer.com. An English-language radio broadcast swill be available on iHeart.
For more information on broadcasts, click here.
Matchup
This will be Angel City's second meeting this season with the Current. Their first was a 3–2 win at home in May, which saw goals by forwards Alyssa Thompson, Jun Endo, and Claire Emslie.
Kansas City are currently in 11th place with a 6–10–1 record (W–L–D). Their last match was a 1–1 draw—their first of the season—on the road against Houston, in which midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta opened the scoring for the Current, and forward Michelle Alozie notched an equalizer for the home team.
Angel City are in ninth place with a 5–6–6 record. Their last game was a 2–1 win at home against OL Reign. Goals by forward Clarisse Le Bihan and midfielder Madison Hammond were the difference in that match, which also saw Reign forward Megan Rapinoe score on a penalty kick. That win, the team's first ever against Seattle, brought ACFC's all-competition undefeated streak to nine games.
Scouting Report
Kansas City's trajectory through 2023 has been not totally unlike Angel City's—a rocky start with an improvement around the halfway point of the season. The two teams are separated by just two points and are both currently in the thick of a late-season playoff push between the bottom six teams.
'I think Kansas is in a similar position that they're still looking for something this season and they've been in a little more form lately and they've had some good results,' said Interim Head Coach Becki Tweed when she spoke to media this week. 'So I think what you'll see is a good game between two competitive teams that are really fighting for something.'
Both teams' last two games, in fact, have had functionally similar results: in the last two weeks, each team beat OL Reign (currently the final playoff team, in sixth place) 2–1 at home and drew with another bottom-six team on the road (Louisville for Angel City and Houston for KC). In short, both teams will feel that this is a must-win game if they want to break into the top half of the table.
'It's going to be tough, but to be honest, I don't think it's any different than any other game in the NWSL,' said defender Jasmyne Spencer. 'I can say that this season is unique in that usually there's [teams who are] pretty close to securing a playoff spot and [teams] who are pretty close to being eliminated, but top to bottom is so tight right now. So everyone's still competing for a playoff spot, which is really exciting.'
Brazil star Debinha is the Current's leading scorer, with six goals on the season, but last week it was LaBonta who not only got on the score sheet, but was the most active player in the attack. LaBonta finished the game with four shots (two on target) and 18 final third entries; that's six more than midfielder Alex Loera, who was the only other KC player to record double digits in that category. The Rancho Cucamonga native—a veteran pro who entered the league in 2015—also led in passes (61), passes in the final third (25), and progressive passing distance (569 meters).
Guard Up
Not only is Angel City undefeated in the last six regular-season games, but the team has conceded just four goals in that time, no more than one in each game—and one of those, Megan Rapinoe's last weekend, was a penalty.
'I think you can look at collective defending or individual defending, but it's [about] details from front to back,' said Tweed of the team's defensive improvement. 'We always want to be a team that has pressure on the ball all over the field. There should never be a moment where we aren't dictating what happens with the opposition so that it becomes less about emergency defending and more about control defending.'
That defensive performance has been a team effort involving all the players on the field, not just the back line. The team's defensive midfielders, either Dani Weatherholt or Madison Hammond, have been key to breaking up attacks as they develop; Weatherholt leads the team when it comes to winning possession in the middle third of the field, with Hammond not far behind (Hammond has also played three fewer games than Weatherholt). Weatherholt also co-leads in interceptions with center back Paige Nielsen.
'I think it's been [about] focusing on team defense,' said Spencer. 'Starting from the top and applying more high pressure to teams... and focusing on the collective and winning individual battles all around the field.'
One area where the team has improved markedly is defending inside the 18. Center back Megan Reid led Angel City last week in clearances last game, and is currently in fourth place in the league in clearances per 90 minutes played (among players with at least five games played).
'[We've been] a little bit more ruthless in and around our 18 yard box,' continued Spencer, 'and not giving up cheap goals or [like] we have in the past.'
Another strong point has been defending on transition, largely thanks to the eye-popping speed and athleticism of center back Sarah Gorden, who has played every minute so far this season.
And of course, there's the team's last line of defense, keeper DiDi Haračić. The Virginia native only had to make three saves last week, but two of them were at a high degree of difficulty, underscoring her key role in keeping the team in games.
As ACFC looks to continue their strong run of form and make the playoffs for the first time, their defensive organization will be a crucial component.
