May 4, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Utah Royals News Release
SANDY, Utah – Utah Royals FC (1-5-1, 4 pts, 14th NWSL) succumbed to its fifth defeat of the season in the club’s maiden NWSL campaign in a 2-1 home defeat to Angel City (3-3-1, 10 pts, 7th NWSL) at America First Field Stadium on Friday, May 3rd, 2024.
In a game URFC mostly dominated, the team struggled to make its superiority count when it mattered most and consequently was made to pay the ultimate price.
The Royals started the game the significantly better of both teams with its quick passing, slick movement, and high pressing proving particularly difficult for Angel City to contain. Despite the Royals’ early dominance and monopoly on the game, the team struggled to create clear cut chances to go in front and was punished midway through the first half with an Angel City goal against the run of play. Capitalizing on a turnover in midfield, the Angels worked the ball down the left to attacker Alyssa Thompson who subsequently delivered a sublime lofted cross into the area which was headed home by Sydney Leroux to establish a lead for the visitors.
Things went from bad to worse for URFC in the first half and the teams’ goalscoring troubles in the half were further compounded in the 40th minute when fullback Olivia Griffitts was judged to have brought down her opponent in the box. Claire Emslie stepped up to take the penalty for Angel City and the forward made no mistake, sending Mandy Haught the wrong way, with a low powerful effort to the bottom right corner to double the visitors lead and strengthen their grip on the contest.
The second half assumed much of the same game state as the first, with the Royals completely dominating and outclassing its opponents in almost all areas, and Angel City seemingly content to mainly sit back and try to hit the hosts on the counterattack. URFC came out in the second half with renewed vigor and determination and was belatedly rewarded for its positive start to the game with a fine consolation goal. A well-worked move found Paige Monaghan with acres of space to drive up the field and release a pass to Ally Sentnor who subsequently cut inside and drilled a low ball across the area to Dana Foederer who placed a strike into the bottom right corner and beyond the reach of Dijana Haračić to pull one back for the hosts and put them within a touching distance of parity.
The game saw a flurry of chances late on as the Royals pressed on for an equalizer but…