So it ends. The 2025 NWSL season has come to an end for Angel City FC. A year that started with a fair amount of promise, an unknown at the head coach spot, and a few solid performances to start the season, ends with a late-winner and loss on the road at the hands of one of the worst teams in the league. Such is life in this chaotically beautiful sport that we love. While it may not have ended the way we wanted, the last few matches if nothing else, set the foundation for who Angel City want to be tactically. Now, they have to work on finding ways to win.
And that’s a wrap on the 2025 season. We’ll catch you back in LA! 🖤#Volemos | #NWSL | #CHIvLA | #AngelCityFC pic.twitter.com/iFgGIlBekq
— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) November 3, 2025
It was a tale of two halves for Los Angeles, with the first half looking like a team that was determined to finish the season on a high note. While Chicago kept slightly more possession, it was Angel City that finished with seven shots, four on target, and most importantly, got the early goal that set the tone for the match. It took just 23 minutes for Angel City to get the opening goal behind a great ball into the box from Nealy Martin. The cross found Miyabi far post and open, and with no hesitation the defender put the ball into the back of the net for the lead.
Miyabi Moriya finishes from close range! pic.twitter.com/AMagxP8cWz
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) November 2, 2025
The remainder of the first half saw Angel City put the pressure on Chicago with attempt after attempt at the goal. They looked the favorites to add another and were doing well defensively as well. Stars ended the half with just two shots, one on target, and not much else going for them in attack. Then, halftime came and that talk from the home side must have been Space Jam levels of confidence boosting. Chicago came out a completely different team in the second half, and it didn’t take long for them to find the equalizer.
Jameese Joseph was the one to equalize the match in just the 49th minute. Mere minutes into the second half, the young attack was on the end of a great pass into the box that caught her in stride. She put on a nasty cutback that freed up all the space she would need, and calmly put it past Angel City keeper Angelina Anderson, for the goal.
Jameese Joseph nails it on NWSL Decision Day 👏
Stars had 11 shots, with four on target, and kept 55% of the possession in the second half. After their equalizer they definitely looked the stronger side but it also started to feel like this one would end in a draw. Angel City only had four shots with one on target in the second half, looking like a team that just didn’t have the juice needed to finish the match as strong as they started. Then, the ghosts of results passed reared their ugly heads for Angel City as time wound down. In the final minutes, the team lost just enough focus to allow one more effort from the home side. An effort they did not waste. With the final attacking moment of the match, Chicago put another good ball into the box that found Ally Schlegel with a defender all over her. She was able to get off a shot, and Angelina Anderson did an excellent job to save the initial attempt, but the ball rebound right back to Schlegel who was able to score the winner with her second bite at the cherry.
Ally Schlegel comes through big in stoppage time on NWSL Decision Day 🤯
The goal sealed the three points and just the third win for the Stars in 2025, as they were the ones who ended the season on a high note. For Angel City, it was a very disappointing and slightly disheartening result that sees them end the year with back-to-back losses. Again, results aside, the foundation for who Angel City will be going forward has been built. The ideas, the style, the aggression, are all there, now the real work begins. In what will be a very critical offseason, LA will have to learn the final, all-important lesson, how to win.
Thoughts on the 2025 season for Angel City? Leave a comment below!