At the Summer Cup, Gaining Confidence and Enjoying Winning

Grit and joy.

Heading into the 2024 Angel City season, those words were a theme of sorts for the team, a framework that was supposed to inform everything they did. 

But as the regular season went on and the team stumbled results-wise, the second half of that motto had started to slip out of reach—and that’s what ACFC’s run in the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup has helped them get back in touch with. As the group looks ahead to the semifinal this afternoon (2:00 p.m. PT) against NJ/NY Gotham FC, it’s with a bounce in their step that’s been missing for much of the year.

“I think the best part about this Summer Cup was an opportunity for us to refine who we want to be, but also kind of take the pressure off a little bit and play with some freedom and enjoyment,” said Head Coach Becki Tweed in a press conference ahead of the game. “It’s just an opportunity for everyone to kind of take that weight off their shoulders... Enjoying winning is something that's been really important.”

The group has grown in confidence with each win, conceding a late goal in their 2–1 opener against Club América, then posting a clean sheet in their match against Bay FC. While they didn’t get on the board last week in their regular-time draw against San Diego, they were the better team for most of the game, building off a composed defensive performance to put together a number of dangerous chances.

“I think as players we were all on the same page that we felt like something was missing the first half of the season,” said defender Sarah Gorden. “A lot of that was building chemistry and connectedness with each other.”

That connectedness was on full view in the team’s cool, confident performance in the penalty shootout at the end of that San Diego match. The long-awaited return of forward Christen Press, who placed her penalty just inside the left post, no doubt helped boost that confidence, but every player—Press, Emslie, Alyssa Thompson, Rocky Rodríguez, and Kennedy Fuller—who stepped up to the spot handled the pressure with self-assuredness. So did goalkeeper DiDi Haračić, who made the only save in the shootout, against forward Amirah Ali, to give Angel City the lead.

“Just enjoying the game again was something that we really wanted to find in the tournament,” said Gorden. “I think that we've done that over the past few games.”

In addition to Press’s return, the tournament has seen milestones from other players. Seventeen-year-old Casey Phair made her first professional appearance against Bay FC, subbing on for Messiah Bright in the 66th minute. “It was surreal,” said Phair after the game. “I don't think I've had to work so hard in my life. To have that pay off now, today, was really great. I’m very proud.”

Bright, meanwhile, started all three group-stage games after only starting one and playing a total of 241 minutes in the regular season. The Texas native recorded an assist on forward Claire Emslie’s goal against Bay, and has been playing with a renewed determination.

“I think this tournament has been an opportunity to allow for players like Messiah, who needed minutes and fitness and confidence,” said Tweed. “You can see the confidence that Messiah is now playing with, and I think she's just going to continue to grow in confidence. She's such a threat with the ball at her feet, she's a threat in behind the back line.”

And crucially, Tweed adds, “she's playing with a smile on her face.”

Both for the team as a whole and for each individual, the chance to play without regular-season results on the line has been a breath of fresh air. “[Summer Cup has allowed us to] give the players some autonomy over some decision-making and performances,” said Tweed. “Hopefully that's something we can carry on into the regular season.”

“It's been [about] just bringing it back to the simple things and why we do it,” said Gorden. “I think it's so easy to get that anxious energy of, ‘we have to do this, we have to win, we have to get results.’ To be able to have this past month just to find ourselves and find our style and who we are as a group in our culture has been very long overdue.”

 “[We’re] just enjoying the game again—moving the ball, having fun, being free.”

Angel City plays NJ/NY Gotham FC in the Summer Cup semifinal today at 2:00 p.m. PT. Angel City is hosting a watch party at Hi Tops Los Feliz.