Match Recap: Angel City 1, Washington Spirit 2 | 9.27.24

Angel City lost 1–2 to the Washington Spirit at home tonight following goals by forwards Ashley Hatch and Makenna Morris. Forward Messiah Bright scored for ACFC.

The visitors had the first chance of the game in the seventh minute when forward Rosemonde Kouassi made a run up the right, beat her mark, and cut inside to send a pass across the box to midfielder Leicy Santos, whose shot went well high.

Washington didn’t take long to follow up with a second attempt; following a ninth-minute corner kick, forward Courtney Brown served the second ball into the 18, where defender MA Vignola initially blocked it. Tara McKeown got her head on the rebound, another attempt that went high.

The visitors had another chance in the 23rd minute, when forward Courtney Brown sent a cross into the six-yard box from the left. McKeown got her head on the ball, once again sending it over the bar.

Angel City had their first chance of the game in the 29th minute, a free kick by forward Claire Emslie from the penalty arc. Emslie sent her shot low through a gap in the Spirit wall, but goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury dove to block the shot for a corner kick.

The visitors finally broke through in the 39th minute. Forward Ashley Hatch stole the ball from defender Megan Reid, carried it a few yards into the penalty area, and put it in the back of the net with a left-footed shot.

Angel City came out of the break swinging, earning a shot in the first minute of the second half. Emslie played a ball into the box that midfielder Kennedy Fuller got her head on but couldn’t redirect towards goal. Reid, who was lurking at the back post, connected with her foot but sent her attempt wide.

LA kept pushing, with defender MA Vignola receiving a flick-on by midfielder Madison Hammond and taking a left-footed shot in the 49th minute.

They found an equalizer in the 51st minute, with forward Alyssa Thompson sending a low cross into the mixer from the left edge of the six-yard box. Forward Messiah Bright was making a well-timed run and tapped the ball into the net from the top of the six with a single touch.

In the 55th minute, Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haračić kept her team in the game with a clutch save. On a transition play, Kouassi found Brown with a lateral pass across the top of the box. Brown’s one-touch shot was on frame, but Haračić dove to block it out for a corner kick.

Washington notched the winner in the 78th minute. On a transition play, Kouassi sent a pass diagonally into the 18 to forward Makenna Morris. Haračić came off her line to claim the ball, but as she dropped to the ground, Morris chipped the ball over her and into the goal.

Angel City continued to push over the final ten minutes of regulation time, including earning a chance in the 84th minute when midfielder Rocky Rodríguez sent a long ball to Thompson in the pocket, who found Emslie with a through ball. Emslie put her shot on frame, but Kingsbury blocked it.

The match saw milestones for two Angel City players: it marked Reid’s 50th professional match, as well as Bright’s first regular-season goal in an ACFC jersey.

Angel City plays next on Friday, October 4, on the road against the Seattle Reign at 7:00 p.m. Pacific. The match will stream live on Prime Video.