Match Recap: Angel City 1, NJ/NY Gotham FC 2 | 6.8.24

Angel City fell 1–2 on the road tonight to Gotham FC following an ACFC goal by midfielder Clarisse Le Bihan and goals for Gotham by midfielders Crystal Dunn and Rose Lavelle.

The visitors dominated possession over the first ten minutes of the game, though neither team had any real chances early on. That changed in the 12th minute when Gotham defender Jenna Nighswonger took a crack from just outside the 18; Angel City keeper DiDi Haračić dove, but no save was necessary, as the ball went just wide of the right post.

Gotham had another look in the 18th minute when defender Mandy Freeman sent a cross into Lavelle in the penalty area on a transition play; Haračić came off her line to block Lavelle’s shot at the edge of the six-yard box.

New Jersey continued to push and finally broke through in the 26th minute when midfielder Yazmeen Ryan played a diagonal ball in for Dunn at the top of the box. Dunn beat her mark and sent a low shot to the far post, which Haračić got a hand on but wasn’t able to stop. The ball rolled over the goal line to bring the score to 1–0.

Angel City had a good look in the 38th minute when midfielder Rocky Rodríguez stripped the ball off a Gotham midfielder and sent a long diagonal pass to forward Claire Emslie on the right wing. Emslie’s cross was initially blocked by Freeman, falling to the top of the 18. ACFC midfielder Lily Nabet made a late run and put a shot on frame, which Gotham keeper Ann-Katrin Berger narrowly blocked.

In the 42nd minute, defender Megan Reid had a clutch defensive play when Lavelle ran onto a long ball into the box from midfielder Delanie Sheehan and hit a shot/cross from just outside the six; Reid recovered to block the ball out for a corner kick just in time.

Angel City had their final chance of the half late in stoppage time when Rodríguez found defender M.A. Vignola as she made a run up the left wing. Vignola dribbled into the area and took an angled shot, but Berger went to ground and stuck her leg out to make the stop.

ACFC started the second half strong with a chance in the 47th minute. Le Bihan forced a turnover and played a through ball in for forward Alyssa Thompson; Thompson continued her run and shot from the corner of the six-yard box, but Berger again made the save.

In the 51st minute, LA equalized. Le Bihan sent a lofted ball into the box intended for forward Sydney Leroux, who dragged two defenders with her as she made a run. The forward ultimately didn’t touch the ball, which sailed into the space she had opened up, past Berger, and into the side netting.

The hosts didn’t wait long to return the favor. In the 62nd minute, Lavelle and Sheehan combined inside the penalty area to set Lavelle up with a close-range shot, which she placed inside the near post and into the back of the net.

Angel City had another near miss in the 79th minute when forward Jasmyne Spencer dropped the ball back to midfielder Madison Hammond near the penalty arc. Hammond found defender Merritt Mathias making a run to her left; Mathias put her near-post shot on target, but Berger dove to save.

Angel City is on the road again next Saturday, June 15, at 6:30 p.m. Pacific against the Houston Dash. That game will be broadcast on Ion and iHeart.