Angel City beat the Houston Dash on the road 3–1 today, following goals by midfielder Macey Hodge, forward Riley Tiernan, and forward Alyssa Thompson. Midfielder Barbara Olivieri scored the lone goal for Houston. The win extended ACFC’s unbeaten streak to four games.
The visitors had an early chance in the third minute, with forward Riley Tiernan threading a through ball into the box for forward Alyssa Thompson, but Thompson’s angled shot went high.
A fifth-minute attempt by forward Diana Ordoñez—a close-range volley that goalkeeper Angelina Anderson did well to save—was to be Houston’s only real threat until the last minute of the half.
Angel City, on the other hand, started pushing for goal early and often, finding the opener in the 13th minute. Forward Claire Emslie sent a low cross from the right wing into the box, where midfielder Kennedy Fuller was lurking. Fuller’s shot ricocheted off a defender and fell into the late-arriving run of midfielder Macey Hodge, who sent a low, driven shot past several defenders and into the back of the net.
The visitors doubled their lead in the 30th minute after Fuller combined with forward Alyssa Thompson and then Emslie to work the ball into the final third. As Houston tried and failed to force a turnover just outside the 18, the ball fell to forward Riley Tiernan, who took a touch, turned, and sent the ball just inside the post to bring the score to 2–0.
ACFC kept pushing as the half went on, with Hodge taking another shot from the same area she’d scored from in the 44th minute—but this time, goalkeeper Jane Campbell made the stop.
In the 47th minute, the Dash had their best chance yet after midfielder Sophie Schmidt played a ball over the top for forward Yazmeen Ryan. Ryan sprinted up the left wing, cut inside, and fired off a shot from inside the penalty area, but it sailed over the bar.
After a pair of halftime substitutions, Houston returned from the break with a new spring in their step, with forward Messiah Bright getting a look in the 50th minute. The play started with Houston forcing a turnover in midfield, before Ryan sent a through ball to Bright in the box. The former Angel City striker got one on one with Anderson, but sent her shot wide of the far post.
Thompson answered with an attempt of her own a minute later, scooping up the loose ball after midfielder Alanna Kennedy intercepted a Houston pass. Thompson made a long run up the left, cut inside, and shot from the penalty arc, but hit the post.
Houston answered in the 61st minute. Forward Barbara Olivieri forced a turnover in the final third and tapped the ball sideways to Bright, who made a forward run into the box. Olivieri followed with a run of her own, picking up the lateral pass from Bright and sending her shot past Anderson to bring the score to 2–1.
The game remained a back-and-forth affair as the half went on, but the visitors put the nail in the coffin in the 86th minute. Midfielder Katie Zelem won the ball in the midfield and tapped a short pass to Tiernan, who in turn sent a through ball into the space left by Houston’s high defensive press. Thompson again made a run up the left and cut inside, this time finding the back of the net despite Campbell getting a piece of her shot. With the score at 3–1 and just a handful of minutes remaining, ACFC finished out the match for their fourth result in a row.
Player Milestones
- Forward Alyssa Thompson earned her 50th career NWSL regular-season appearance in today’s match.
- Rookie midfielder Macey Hodge earned her first career NWSL regular-season goal in the 13th minute.
- Rookie forward Riley Tiernan’s second career NWSL regular-season goal in the 29’ of today’s match, her second in two games. Tiernan’s goal was the the 3,500th goal in NWSL regular-season history.
- Forward Alyssa Thompson earned her 10th career NWSL regular-season assist in the 29th minute, the most in ACFC history.
Lineups
ACFC: 19–Angelina Anderson, 11–Sarah Gorden, 3–Savy King, 16–M.A. Vignola, 20–Gisele Thompson (23–Christen Press, 74’), 14–Alanna Kennedy (99–Madison Hammond, 63’), 17–Kennedy Fuller, 8–Macey Hodge (4–Katie Zelem, 62’), 10–Claire Emslie (29–Miyabi Moriya, 45’) 21–Alyssa Thompson (6–Megan Reid, 89’), 33–Riley Tiernan
Substitutes not used: 1–Hannah Stambaugh, 28–Lily Nabet, 7–Julie Dufour, 9–Casey Phair
HOU: 1–Jane Campbell, 14–Paige Nielsen, 20–Christen Westphal (22–Michelle Alozie, 63’), 25–Katie Lind, 8–Delanie Sheehan, 10–Barbara Olivieri (28–Ramona Bachmann, 84’), 13–Sophie Schmidt (21–Ryan Gareis, 45’), 23–Maggie Graham, 24–Danielle Colaprico, 9–Diana Ordoñez (6–Messiah Bright, 45’), 11–Yazmeen Ryan
Substitutes not used: 5–Zoe Matthews, 12–Kiki Van Zanten, 17–Sarah Puntigam, 19–Belle Briede, 35–Abby Smith
