Angel City fell 2–4 to San Diego Wave today in a back-and-forth match at Torero Stadium. Jodie Taylor, Alex Morgan, and Amirah Ali were the scorers for the home team, while Christen Press notched her first for Los Angeles. A Tegan McGrady own goal accounted for Angel City’s other goal. The match, Angel City’s second against San Diego during the Challenge Cup, was the club’s third game in eight days.
San Diego opened the scoring in the 19th minute when left back Tegan McGrady played a pass to forward Alex Morgan in the box. Morgan chipped the ball across the face of goal to Jodie Taylor, who fired off a shot; keeper DiDi Haračić blocked the initial shot, but the rebound fell back to Taylor, and she sent it to the back of the net.
The home side were on the front foot for most of the first 45 minutes, with Angel City largely confined to their side of the field. The Wave had a number of chances and near-chances before the break, including 11 corner kicks.
An own goal by the Wave leveled the score to 1–1 in the 38th minute. Angel City midfielder Savannah McCaskill passed to fellow midfielder Dani Weatherholt, who turned the ball over to McGrady. McGrady sent an errant pass back for keeper Kailen Sheridan, who could not reach the ball in time as it rolled over the goal line.
In first-half stoppage time, San Diego regained the lead. Midfielder Kristen McNabb sent a ball into the box that fell to Angel City left back Ali Riley. Morgan pounced as Riley tried to clear the ball and sent a hard shot past Haračić to pull ahead 1–2.
Angel City had more attacking success to start the second half, managing to play out of pressure and find space a handful of times leading up to the 59th minute, when they equalized again. Right back Jasmyne Spencer sent a cross into the box; the ball hit San Diego defender Christen Westphal and fell to ACFC forward Christen Press, who brought the ball down and nailed it to the back of the net.
The visitors had a few more looks over the next ten minutes, but it was the Wave who notched the next goal when midfielder Taylor Kornieck backheeled the ball to Westphal, who sent a low cross to Morgan that the forward one-timed into the net. San Diego closed out the scoring with a fourth goal in the 81st minute, when midfielder Isabella Briede played a ball to forward Amirah Ali. Ali beat center back Vanessa Gilles to dribble into the box, then snuck around Gilles’s fellow center back, Madison Hammond, to send the ball inside the far post.
Following the upcoming international break, Angel City goes again on Sunday, April 17 at 3 p.m. PST, when they’ll take on OL Reign at Lumen Field in Seattle. That match will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.