April 17, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Angel City FC News Release
SEATTLE – Angel City FC (ACFC) fell 1-2 to OL Reign today on the road, with goals by Bethany Balcer and Olivia Van der Jagt for the home team, and Simone Charley for ACFC.
The game was a back-and-forth affair early on, with neither team maintaining possession long enough to put together many attacks. The first real chance was the Reign’s, in the sixth minute, when a corner by defender Sofia Huerta fell to forward Bethany Balcer in the right corner of the six-yard box. Balcer got her head on the ball but headed it wide of the near post.
OL had another chance in the 10th minute, when forward Aly Watt took Angel City center back Megan Reid one on one, found an opening just outside the six, and fired off an awkwardly angled shot to the near post, which keeper Didi Haračić blocked.
The home side opened the scoring in the 34th minute, when midfielder Quinn sent a long ball to Watt on the right side of the Reign’s attacking half. Watt settled the ball and dribbled diagonally toward the LA defender Ali Riley inside and opening up space for a run by forward Bethany Balcer. Watt tapped a through ball to Balcer, who fired off a shot from the top of the 18 that sailed into the net.
To start the second half, ACFC forward Tyler Lussi, who had been playing at striker, swapped places with fellow forward Simone Charley, who was on the left wing in the first half. The game became more transitional, with Angel City playing more direct, bypassing the Reign’s midfield press by sending balls in from deep.
In the 52nd minute, LA got their best chance to that point in the game when midfielder Savannah McCaskill dribbled up the center of the field and found forward Jun Endo making an overlapping run on the left. Endo got on the end of a well-weighted pass by McCaskill and sent in a close-range shot that was deflected out for a corner kick.
The Reign nearly got a second goal in the 62nd minute, with…