Angel City Football Club (ACFC) suffered their first loss of the 2025 NWSL Regular Season, falling 0-4 against NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. Forward Esther González earned a brace, along with an own goal while Geyse finished the match off with a goal in the 85th minute.
The first half saw one goal in the 18th minute, as González received a cross in the box from forward Gabi Portilho, where she was able to get a shot off her left foot to score the opening goal.
The remainder of the half was a back and forth battle with Angel City fighting hard to equalize before the two minutes of stoppage time came to a halt. The first half finished in 48 duels for each club, with ACFC winning 54 percent of those battles.
In the second half, both clubs notched several fouls and yellow cards, before Gotham’s defender Lily Reale sent a pass in the box intended for González, but ended up bouncing off of ACFC defender Miyabi’s head, landing in the back of the net and counting as an own goal.
In the 75th minute, González received a corner kick from Gotham midfielder Sarah Schupansky, hitting a header in the net while running away from the right side of the goal post to put the visitors up 3-0. The 76th minute saw 17-year-old ACFC forward Casey Phair, who is the youngest player to ever start in a Women’s World Cup match, make her NWSL Regular Season debut.
Angel City saw an opportunity in the 84th minute where forward Christen Press would receive a crisp ball wide pass from midfielder Kennedy Fuller where she was able to send a cross in the box towards midfielder Alanna Kennedy that was snagged by goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger.
The final goal came from Gotham’s forward Geyse, who received a pass from forward Midge Purce who forced her way in the box in the final seconds of the match, lobbing a pass across to Geyse.
Angel City is back on the road, facing Orlando on Friday, April 25 at 5:00 p.m. PT. That match will air nationally on Prime Video.
ACFC Player Milestones
- Forward Casey Phair made her NWSL Regular Season debut in tonight’s match. She is the youngest player in club history to debut in a NWSL Regular Season match.
- Forward Riley Tiernan played against her sister Madison's former club. Madison scored 5 goals in 42 games for then-Sky Blue FC from 2017-19.
- Defender Miyabi earned her first career NWSL Starting XI appearance since joining the club in preseason.
ACFC Starting XI: Angelina Anderson, Sarah Gorden, Savy King, M.A. Vignola, Miyabi Moriya, Alanna Kennedy, Kennedy Fuller, Macey Hodge, Claire Emslie, Gisele Thompson, Riley Tiernan
Subs: Casey Phair, Christen Press, Megan Reid, Katie Zelem, Madison Hammond
DNP: Hannah Stambaugh, Julie Dufour, Hannah Johnson, Lily Nabet
Gotham FC Starting XI: Ann-Katrin Berger, Lily Reale, Emily Sonnett, Jaelin Howell, Taryn Torres, Esther González, Sarah Schupansky, Nealy Martin, Gabi Portilho, Jéssica Silva, Jess Carter
Subs: Geyse, Midge Purce, Mak Whitham, Bruninha, Stella Nyamekye
DNP: Michelle Betos, Emerson Elgin, Tyler McCamey, Khyah Harper
