Angel City earned a 1–1 draw against the Portland Thorns tonight in their first road match of 2025. Midfielder Kennedy Fuller scored for ACFC, with forward Reilyn Turner notching the equalizer for Portland.
Angel City opened the scoring in the ninth minute when defender Sarah Gorden played a line-breaking pass to midfielder Alanna Kennedy, who then found defender Gisele Thompson on the right wing. Thompson took the ball to the right edge of the 18 and sent a diagonal pass to forward Kennedy Fuller, who had her back to goal at the top of the area. The 18-year-old took a few touches to turn her defender and unleashed an angled shot that landed in the far corner of the net.
It didn’t take long for the visitors to get another look, as in the 13th minute, defender Savy King tapped a sideways ball to forward Alyssa Thompson as she made a run into the box. Thompson did a one-two pass with Emslie to lose her mark, then put a shot in the center of the goal—but goalkeeper McKenzie Arnold stopped it.
The Thorns had a flurry of chances a few minutes later, first an 18th-minute effort by midfielder Olivia Moultrie that goalkeeper Angelina Anderson saved, then a low driven shot by midfielder Deyna Catstellanos, which Anderson blocked out for a corner in the 19th minute. One minute after that, forward Reilyn Turner forced Anderson into a turnover in the box and tapped the ball to Moultrie, who sent a shot wide of the far post.
Portland kept pushing for goal, equalizing in the 30th minute. Following another save by Anderson against Turner, Moultrie whipped a corner kick into the six-yard box, and the ball bounced through the knot of defenders. Turner was lurking in the far corner and redirected it into the net with the outside of her right foot.
ACFC had a good chance in the 50th minute when forward Claire Emslie switched the ball across the field to defender MA Vignola, who drove up the left and found forward Riley Tiernan. Tiernan dropped the ball back to Kennedy, who took a crack from 18 yards, but Arnold dove and blocked it out for a corner.
A round of substitutions in the 80th minute breathed new life into the Portland attack, first in the 83rd minute with defender Mallie McKenzie sending a cross in toward the penalty spot, where forward Pietra Tordin was making a run—but the ball bounced harmlessly off her leg and over the endline.
One minute after that, Anderson was forced to make an impressive save. A corner kick landed in a knot of players near the goal before bouncing out to midfielder Hina Sugita. She put a hard driven shot on frame, but Anderson jumped to tip it over the bar.
Angel City’s final chance came in the 89th minute on a transition play that saw her beat defender Isabella Obaze one on one in the box, but Arnold saved her effort at the near post.
Finally, in the 93rd minute, Anderson went to ground to stop a low shot by forward Alexa Spaanstra, keeping the score level in the final play of the game.
Angel City is back at home next Sunday, March 30 against Seattle Reign FC at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are available here.
ACFC Player Milestones:
- Defender Sarah Gorden reached 10,000 career NWSL regular-season minutes played in the 79th minute of the match.
- Midfielder Kennedy Fuller's goal was her second in the regular season.
- Defender Gisele Thompson's assist was her second in the regular season.
- ACFC had the youngest starting XI in NWSL history for the second straight week.
