March 17, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Angel City FC News Release
LOS ANGELES – Angel City fell 0-1 today in their season opener against new expansion side Bay FC, following a goal by forward Asisat Oshoala. A crowd of 22,000 attended the game, marking the third club’s third sold-out season opener.
The home team came close in the 7th minute when midfielder Kennedy Fuller recovered the ball deep in midfield and sent a long forward pass to forward Alyssa Thompson. Thompson drove into the box, dribbled past her mark, and put a shot on target, which was blocked by goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx. Two follow-up shots, by Fuller and forward Claire Emslie, also failed to find their mark. That multi-shot scramble was to be the first in a series of frustrating near-misses by ACFC.
After Angel City dominated the game over the first 10 minutes, Bay FC found some momentum. They notched the lone goal of the game when forward Tess Boade intercepted a pass by Angel City defender MA Vignola and tapped a short through pass to forward Asisat Oshoala in the 18, who took a step and sent a hard strike into the top of the net.
The next chance for either team came in the 29th minute, when Bay midfielder Deyna Castellanos dribbled into the left side of the penalty area and took an angled shot at the near post- but it was a routine save for goalkeeper Angelina Anderson.
Angel City had another chance in the 35th minute when Fuller received a diagonal pass from the midfield, dribbled into the left side of the goal area, and sent a sideways pass in for midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard, who put her shot on target, but Proulx saved.
The momentum stayed in LA’s favor over the final 10 minutes of the half, with midfielder Amandine Henry and defender Ali Riley each getting shots on target, but the team wasn’t able to put one away before the break.
Angel City stayed on the front foot heading into the second half, with Dougherty Howard getting another look in the 47th minute off a cross from Emslie. They came within inches of scoring again in the 50th minute when Emslie received a pass into the 18 from Thompson and dropped the ball back to Dougherty Howard as she made a late run. Dougherty Howard again put her shot on frame, with Proulx again saving.
Bay came close to a second in the 58th minute when Boade crashed the box, intercepting a pass to get one-on-one with Anderson- but the keeper did well to close the angle and block Boade’s low shot.
ACFC came close repeatedly in the…