Written by Jesus Figueroa
@ThisFunktional
Angel City FC’s forward Claire Emslie, number 10, scores a brace to lead to a 2-1 victory against North Carolina Courage at BMO Stadium on April 21.
This marked the first home win of the season and the second sold out game.
The win brings Angel City to a 2-1-2 record and them at the 7th spot in the standings.
Emslie scored a beautifully placed free kick, which went just over the wall defenders’ heads and out of reach from the goalkeeper, making it 1-0 at the 22 minute of the first half.
The biggest key to the free kick was a well placed through ball from Angel City midfielder Raquel “Rocky” Rodríguez Cedeño, number 7, to Alyssa Paola Thompson, number 21, who broke away behind the defensive line but ended up being fouled at the edge of the box.
Angel City were well positioned keeping form and making it difficult for the NC Courage to find a path to goal, even as they NC kept possession of the ball.
The second half had the second goal from Emslie catching NC’s goalkeeper coming up off her line too far, enough for Emslie so chip the shot just over the finger tips of the goalkeeper and into the back of the net at the near post.
The play started with midfielder Lily Shayan Nabet, number 28, giving a short pass to forward Thompson who delivered a well weighted pass that found its way to Emslie’s feet for a shoulder to shoulder fight with a NC defender, which Emslie kept her composure through, to give Angel City the 2-0 lead.
Angel City goalkeeper Dijana “Didi” Haračić, number 13, had only her second start of the season and provided some spectacular saves almost coming away with a clean sheet.
NC’s forward Tyler Lussi, number 14, would score to make it 2-1 at the 73 minute.
Thompson was involved in one more promising play when Thompson blocked a kick by NC heading it into the path of forward Melissa Da’kahlian Bright, number 24, who would return the ball to Thompson whose shot would go just wide of the post.
The take away from this match, look for calculated risks to allow forwards to create in open spaces while trying to not play the ball back as much.
Angel City plays at home April 26 against Kansas City Current, for the second time this season, at 7:00 p.m. PT. For those who cannot make it to BMO Stadium to see the match inperson, the match will stream on Prime Video. Listen to the match on iHeart in English and 980 AM La Mera Mera in Spanish.
