Angel City FC earned their first-ever win tonight at Cal State Fullerton after a first-half penalty kick goal by Christen Press. The win was ACFC's final preseason game before their season opener this Friday at Banc of California Stadium.
ACFC found an early chance less than a minute into the game when forward Simone Charley blocked a pass by Portland midfielder Rocky Rodríguez, turned and dribbled up the center of the field, and found forward Christen Press making a run at the Thorns defense. Press controlled the ball with her back to goal and found midfielder Savannah McCaskill making a run on the right. McCaskill took an angled shot, which goalkeeper Bella Bixby saved.
Two minutes later the Thorns answered with their own attempt, when forward Morgan Weaver found forward Janine Beckie near the top of Angel City’s penalty area and Beckie quickly fired off a hard shot, which was high and flew over the bar.
The match was a back-and-forth battle until the 27th minute, when Press put a shot on frame. Defender Megan Reid got another soon after, and in the resulting battle over the loose ball, Rodríguez took down Angel City defender Vanessa Gilles in the box. The center official pointed to the spot, and Press stepped up to take the penalty kick in the 30th minute. She fired calmly to the right, with Bixby diving left, to put the home team ahead 1–0.
In the 36th minute, defender Vanessa Gilles scored a goal that was waved off due to an offside call. She got on the end of a cross from the left by fellow defender Ali Riley and sent the ball past Bixby at close range, but the sideline official raised his flag.
Beckie had another quality chance in the 40th minute, following a pass by Meghan Klingenberg, but she drilled the ball well over the bar and the teams went to the locker rooms with the game at 1–0.
The home team started the second half with a near miss: McCaskill sent a free kick short to Press, to the right of the penalty box, and Press crossed the ball into the 18. Charley brought it down but was unable to turn and shoot. Defender Megan Reid scooped up the ball and took a hard right-footed shot which went just over the bar.
The next 10 minutes saw a number of chances by Angel City, but the game became more even around the 60th minute, with neither team putting together many real chances. Forward Tyler Lussi, who had subbed on for Press in the 70th minute, placed a header out of Bixby’s reach, but Klingenberg saved it off the line.
Following a strong defensive performance all game, ACFC maintained the clean sheet for the final 15 minutes plus stoppage time. Their next game is Friday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. PST at Banc of California Stadium.
