Thursday night footy in Los Angeles, with Angel City FC getting our weekend of action kicked off early. The team are at home, welcoming Southern California rivals, San Diego Wave. Its a battle of teams looking to snap winless runs, and get back on track as the Olympic break draws closer. San Diego dealing with road woes, and Angel City FC looking to establish some form at home, in a ‘something’s gotta give’ type of match.
Las titulares para enfrentar a San Diego.#Volemos | #NWSL | #LAvSD | #AngelCityFC pic.twitter.com/TbjO5S3trX
— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) May 24, 2024
There were really only two options for this match. We were either going to get a ton of goals similar to what we saw in DC, or we were goin to be treated to a struggle ball spectacular. While it wasn’t completely one way or another, the first half was most definitely a struggle half. San Diego got off 13 shots but between DiDi Haracic standing on her head, and them sending the ball over the bar, the Wave couldn’t find the back of the net. Angel City were only able to get off four shots that found their target, but none were any threat for the visiting keeper. The two teams went into break scoreless, with the only real highlight being the opening 10 minutes from Haracic, where she made several impressive saves.
SO CLOSE FOR THE WAVE!
María Sánchez with the header but it goes justttttt wide.
📺 @CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/2VyLMhG0T7
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 24, 2024
The match continued like this throughout. Hitting 80 minutes still scoreless, and still awaiting that one moment that made you truly believe like one of these sides wanted to win and weren’t just happy with a single point. Especially Angel City who, despite San Diego looking lost and being at home, failed to really take advantage of any of that through 80 minutes. It was another head scratching outing for a team that, in all honesty, feels like it should be doing much better than it has.
The team started to come alive in the final moments of the match. Putting together solid build-ups, passing looked better, with players looking like they had been struck by a sudden burst of energy. Unfortunately, it must have been in the air because San Diego woke right up with them, so the potential to catch them flat-footed, was out the window. The team quickly had to go into defending mode, as the visitors looked a bit more dangerous in the final moments, and given how the season has gone, the last thing Los Angeles needed was to give them looks at the goal late. With nine minutes of stoppage time added, there was plenty of time for some late chaos, and ACFC needed to be the beneficiaries, if it was to happen.
The best look of the night for LA came in the last gasp efforts, with Alyssa Thompson putting in a great cross that went right in front of goal for MA Vignola but the returning defender couldn’t get on it to nudge it past the line. San Diego also had a last second opportunity with a free kick, and nearly came away with what would have been a massive heartbreaker for LA, but the efforts found the crossbar, and the last saved by Haracic. The final whistle blew on what was a match that occurred, as the two teams split the points with no goals on the evening. Thankfully for those still looking to get healthy, the team will have what is essentially a bye week as the International break hits, with the team returning to action on the road against Gotham FC, on June 8th.
Thoughts on the draw? Leave a comment below!