Credit: Aaron Baker | Imagn Images
Angel City are currently on a five-game unbeaten run. Their run of four wins and one draw is fully deserved, with the only bone of contention being that they really should have beaten the Denver Summit, not tied 3-3. Their latest performance, a 3-0 away win over the Utah Royals, moved them up to sixth in the National Women’s Soccer League table.
The dominant storyline in their win over Utah was the opposition having two players sent off within the first 24 minutes of the contest. That ignores the subtext of how Angel City played.
Utah’s first red card came on a catch and counter by Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson, who claimed a high ball and instantly released Prisca Chilufya. Paige Cronin miscued her clearance and couldn’t get back to defend Chilufya, bringing the Zambian down as she raced through on goal. Utah then conceded off an Ally Sentnor penalty and went down to nine players when Ana Tejada was sent off for a hair pull while attempting to mark Ary Borges. That move originated from a Sveindís Jónsdóttir throw-in routine.
The game was all but finished two minutes into the second half, with Gisele Thompson’s forward run exploiting space in a badly outnumbered Utah defense, followed by a Taylor Suarez dart into the box to finish. On 67 minutes, the 3-0 win was confirmed following Jónsdóttir’s relentless pressing to force a turnover.
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