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Angel City drew 1–1 against the Utah Royals tonight following a goal by Royals midfielder Claudia Zaragoza and one by ACFC forward Sydney Leroux. The match was the last regular-season home game of 2024.
Utah had the first chance of the game in the third minute when forward Ally Sentnor dribbled into the pocket, cut to the right, and fired off a shot that went wide of the far post.
Angel City had their first real chance of the night in the 13th minute when forward Messiah Bright and midfielders Madison Hammond and Meggie Dougherty Howard combined at the top of the box to set up midfielder Katie Zelem. Zelem took a crack from just outside the 18, but it went wide.
Forward Claire Emslie was the next ACFC player to make an attempt on goal, running onto a through ball by forward Alyssa Thompson. Emslie dribbled into the penalty area and nearly fired off a shot, but goalkeeper Mandy Haught came off her line to smother the ball.
In the 21st minute, the Royals opened the scoring after being awarded a free kick just outside the 18. Midfielder Claudia Zornoza stepped up to take it and sent the ball curling inside the near post, past Haračić, and into the back of the net.
In the 29th minute, Bright made a run up the right and sent a cross into the box, where Emslie took a crack that was blocked by a defender.
The two teams traded a handful of chances over the remainder of the first half, but few of them for either side were quality opportunities, and the half ended with the score at 1–0.
Angel City turned up the heat after the break, with Bright taking an angled shot in the 54th minute that forced a diving save from Utah keeper Mandy Haught.
The Royals had a pair of chances in the 54th minute, starting with a shot by defender Madison Pogarch that Haračić blocked; Zornoza picked up the second ball and made an attempt of her own, which Haračić impressively lept to tip over the bar.
One minute later, defender Ana Tejada hit the crossbar with a header, with Zornoza attempting a scorpion kick on the rebound, which went wide.
Angel City equalized in the 57th minute. After a corner kick by Zelem fell to defender Gisele Thompson, the youngster juggled the ball to keep it airborne and sent a header to forward Sydney Leroux inside the 18. Leroux received the ball with her chest before volleying it into the back of the net.
The hosts kept pushing for the rest of the half and came close a number of times. In the 64th minute, forward Alyssa Thompson dribbled into the penalty area, cut right to beat her mark, and took a hard shot from near the penalty spot that flew just high.
Haračić had another impressive save in the 70th minute when Sentnor intercepted a pass in the midfield, took it to the penalty arc, and uncorked a shot. Haračić again jumped to tip the ball out over the crossbar with one hand.
In the 88th minute, midfielder Rocky Rodríguez forced a turnover in the midfield, with forward Christen Press scooping up the ball. Press drove toward goal and beat a defender in the penalty area to send the ball back to Rodríguez, who put a curving shot on target—but Haught saved.
Leroux's goal was her 48th career regular-season goal, tying her with Press for eighth place on the all-time list. In addition, Haračić's nine saves set a single-game record for Angel City.
Angel City’s last game of 2024 will be Friday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. in Portland. The match will stream live on Prime Video with a radio broadcast on iHeart.
