Angel City fell 1–3 on the road today against NJ/NY Gotham FC. Midfielder Kennedy Fuller scored for ACFC, with forward Gabi Portilho, midfielder Rose Lavelle, and midfielder Jaelin Howell securing the victory for the hosts.
Angel City’s opener came in the second minute, the second-fastest goal in club history. Forward Riley Tiernan made a run up the left wing and beat defender Emily Sonnett on the dribble to send a cross into the box. Her service was deflected by a Gotham defender to the edge of the 18, where midfielder Kennedy Fuller was lurking. Fuller waited for the ball to drop before striking a low volley that hit the inside of the far post and bounced into the back of the net.
ACFC had another chance in the 21st minute, when forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir forced Gotham defender Jess Carter into a turnover, then drove into the box. The Iceland international was one on one with goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, but pulled her shot wide as Berger came off her line to cut down the angle.
Gotham had a near miss in the 37th minute when midfielder Sarah Schupansky made a run up the center of the field and took a crack from the edge of the 18-yard box. Defender Sarah Gorden blocked that initial shot, but the ball fell to forward Gabi Portilho, who sent a follow-up attempt just wide.
In the 40th minute, Angel City nearly capitalized on a well-executed buildup, starting with Jónsdóttir and defender Gisele Thompson combining on the right wing. Jónsdóttir found midfielder Maiara Niehues centrally, and Niehues took the ball up the center of the pitch to thread a ball through Gotham’s back line. Defender M.A. Vignola got on the end of the pass and took a few touches to get to the center of the area, but Berger came off her line to block Vignola’s shot with her leg.
After the break, Gotham wasted no time in bringing the score level and then finding the go-ahead goal. In the 47th minute, forward Midge Purce combined with defender Geyse up the right wing to find her way into the box, beating her mark to the endline. She then sent a service into the six-yard box and the run of Portilho, who tapped the ball into the back of the net to make it 1–1.
The hosts pulled ahead in the 52nd minute. Purce again beat her defender on the right, finding defender Bruninha with a short forward pass. Bruninha sent a cross into the six-yard box, where midfielder Rose Lavelle was making a run. Lavelle fired off a close-range shot that bounced off a defender and across the line.
Lavelle had another look in the 65th minute. The USWNT star sent a short corner kick to Geyse, who passed back to Lavelle as she ran to the corner of the 18. Lavelle sent a powerful, curving shot toward the far post, but goalkeeper Hannah Seabert blocked the initial attempt and then caught the rebounded ball.
Gotham widened their lead in the 68th minute. Geyse sent a lateral ball across the 18-yard line to midfielder Jaelin Howell, whose shot hit the underside of the crossbar and ricocheted into the net to bring the score to 3–1.
New Jersey had a final pair of chances in stoppage time, with Lavelle hitting the post and midfielder Taryn Torres’s attempt with the recycled ball hitting the crossbar.
Angel City plays next on Saturday, September 13 on the road at North Carolina Courage at 9:30 a.m. Pacific.