May 4, 2023 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Angel City FC News Release
SEATTLE – Angel City Football Club (ACFC) drew OL Reign 0-0 on the road tonight in their second 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup match.
The first half was largely a midfield battle that saw few chances by either team. Seattle had an early look in the ninth minute, with forward Tziarra King receiving a pass from forward Elyse Bennett, dribbling into the left side of the area, and taking an angled shot, which hit the far post.
Though Angel City was on the front foot throughout the first half possession-wise, and mounted an organized defense, they had few looks on goal. The closest the team came was a chance by midfielder Lily Nabet in the 41st minute that was blocked.
The next look for either side came in the 43rd minute when King ran onto a cross to the center of the box by defender Sofia Huerta and took another crack from 10 yards, but ACFC defender Jasmyne Spencer blocked the ball out over the endline for a corner kick.
The second half got off to a quick start when forward Jun Endo intercepted a pass from the Reign back line in the 46th minute, drove forward into the box centrally, and fired off a shot- but Reign keeper Laurel Ivory easily saved it.
Two minutes later, Reign forward Bethany Balcer played a through ball to midfielder Olivia Athens, who was one on one with keeper Brittany Isenhour, but Isenhour did well to dive and smother Athens’s shot.
The closest chance of the game came in the 62nd minute when defender Sarah Gorden headed a corner kick by forward Claire Emslie into the six-yard-box, where forward Katie Johnson flicked the ball on target from point-blank range. Johnson’s header had Ivory beaten, but defender Ryanne Brown made a goal-line clearance to keep the game scoreless.
Midfielder Savannah McCaskill had a chance in the 85th minute, receiving a short pass from Emslie, making a clever cut away from goal to create space, and turning to put a shot on target; Ivory dove and made an excellent save, sending the ball out for a corner kick.
Following the result, Angel City has a record of 0-1-1 (W-L-D) in the Challenge Cup, putting them in third place in the West.
The team’s next regular season match is at home this Saturday, May 7 at 5:00 p.m. against the Kansas City Current.
POST-MATCH QUOTES
Jasmyne Spencer, ACFC Defender
Thoughts on the match:
“Overall it was a good performance. Happy to get a point on the road again. We know how good of a team the Reign are. It is our…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at OurSports Central Women's Soccer News…