Angel City lost 0–1 at home tonight to the first-place Kansas City Current, following a goal by forward Michelle Cooper.
The first half saw Angel City hold the Shield winners not just scoreless but shotless. On Angel City’s end, the first quality chance came in the 17th minute, when defender Evelyn Shores forced a turnover in midfield and made a short diagonal pass into the path of forward Riley Tiernan’s run. Tiernan received the ball and took an angled shot from a few yards outside the penalty area, but it went just wide of the far post.
Angel City had another look in the 33rd minute, following a free kick by forward Jun Endo. Endo’s service hit the wall and bounced to the 18-yard line, where midfielder Hina Sugita took a strike, which goalkeeper Lorena collected.
In the 43rd minute, ACFC came close again. Defender Gisele Thompson made a sideways pass into the penalty area, which forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir received. Jónsdottir turned and dribbled her defender to find a window of space, but her shot lacked power, and Lorena again easily saved.
The hosts had a pair of attempts to start the second half, one by Endo in the 49th minute and another by midfielder Nealy Martin in the 56th minute—both from a few yards outside the penalty box.
In the 60th minute, the Current scored the go-ahead goal. Forward Haley Hopkins made a run up the left and sent a short lateral pass to the penalty spot, where forward Michelle Cooper was making a run and tapped the ball into the back of the net.
ACFC had their best chance of the night in the 62nd minute, when midfielder Kennedy Fuller dribbled past her mark in the penalty area to put an angled, left-footed shot on frame. Lorena dove to deflect the shot with one hand, which then harmlessly hit the post.
A stoppage-time free kick by midfielder Maiara Niehues which curled just over the crossbar was the last opportunity for the home team, with the final whistle blowing a few minutes after.
Angel City is at home again next Sunday at 2:00, taking on the Houston Dash. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, with radio on iHeart and KFWB.