Match Recap: Angel City 3, Racing Louisville 2 | 6.19.24

Angel City beat Racing Louisville 3–2 at home tonight following first-half goals by midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Rocky Rodríguez, and a late winner by forward Sydney Leroux. Louisville’s goals were scored by midfielder Taylor Flint and defender Carson Pickett.

"We needed that," said defender Madison Curry after the match. "It was a big team performance tonight and it feels like it's been a lot of games in the making, so to have that result and grind it out, it means a lot to us."

Angel City had the first good chance of the game in the eighth minute when Fuller sent in a cross from the right that fell to Leroux at the edge of the six-yard box. Leroux got her head on the ball but sent it back across the face of goal and wide of the near post.

After dominating possession throughout the early part of the game, the hosts opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Defender Madison Curry played a pinpoint through ball under the feet of the Louisville defense and into the six-yard box for Fuller, who one-timed it into the back of the net. It was Fuller’s first professional goal and Curry’s first professional assist.

"I was at center back for a little bit, so it's been fun to be at left back again," said Curry. "I tried to fake like I was going to shoot or cross and it baited the defender a little bit, and I just played into the space where I know Ken would be—and she was there and she had a big finish."

In the 26th minute, Racing midfielder Savannah DeMelo made an interception in ACFC’s defensive third and quickly fired off a shot, but her attempt went wide.

The hosts doubled their lead in the 32nd minute following a free kick from high on the left wing by defender Merritt Mathias. The league veteran served the ball to the edge of the six-yard box, where Rodríguez settled the ball and unleashed a left-footed strike that sailed past goalkeeper Katie Lund.

Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haračić made a key save in the 34th minute, diving left to narrowly stop another shot by DeMelo from 20 yards.

In the 41st minute, Louisville pulled one back on a penalty kick. After ACFC defender Megan Reid was given a caution card for a foul in the box, midfielder Taylor Flint stepped up to the spot and sent her attempt past Haračić to bring the score to 2–1.

Racing came out swinging after the break, earning a flurry of chances in the early minutes of the half that culminated in a near miss in the 54th minute by forward Elexa Bahr. The visitors continued to keep Angel City pinned into their defensive third, finally breaking through with an equalizer in the 64th minute. Forward Emma Sears sent a cross from the left into the 18, where defender Carson Pickett settled the ball and sent it into the back of the net.

After Louisville's equalizer, Angel City kept pushing for goal. "I think one of the big things we've been working on is our mentality and our grit, and not folding when things don't go our way," said Curry. The team had a couple chances over the next 20 minutes, 

with defender Jasmyne Spencer coming close in the 69th minute following a corner kick that Racing failed to clear from the box.

The winner came in the 85th minute when Thompson threaded an impressive one-touch through ball in for Leroux, who took a touch to burst into the 18 and placed a driven shot inside the far post and past a diving Lund. That goal was Leroux’s 45th career goal, tying her with Kansas City midfielder Debinha for ninth-most all-time in the NWSL.

"Whether it be referee's decision or just a moment on the field, we need to be a unified team through the whole 90—or 100—minutes," said Curry. "Today we really showed that. We're back at home with the best fans, who pulled us through. But it's just about creating those chances and finally putting them away, which has been so rewarding."

ACFC plays again this Saturday on the road at Bay FC at 7:00 p.m. PT. That game will be broadcast on ION, with an English-language radio broadcast on iHeart.