The trip to North Carolina didn’t go as planned for Angel City FC. After a tough loss on the road to Gotham the week prior, the team was looking to bounce back in Cary, with the hopes of, at the very least, coming away with a result. Some unfortunate bounces, and a few moments of defensive lapses, were enough to punish Los Angeles. Despite the valiant effort the team put on to overcome, it wasn’t enough as they drop their second-straight match of the short road trip, losing to the Courage 1-2.
Final score.
🔜 #LAvWAS on 9/18.#Volemos | #NWSL | #NCvLA | #AngelCityFC pic.twitter.com/BNEc9yYnPi— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) September 13, 2025
Perhaps the most frustrating part of a match like this, is that not only did Courage find a way to score early, but they were also super efficient. Neither team really had many chances or shots this match, but the few shots the home side did have, they made the absolute most of them. In the first half both teams had just three shots, but Angel City couldn’t find one to hit the target, while North Carolina hit the target on all three, and scored goals on two of them. The early surge to start the match was all they needed to come away with the win, which makes losses like this sting even more. It’s like being the car stuck in second during a Formula 1 race, having to go lap, after lap, after lap, looking at the back of the same car, unable to find that final gear needed to make the move past them.
It took just six minutes for the home side to get on the board, and it was a rough “welcome to the NWSL” moment for Angel City defender Sara Doorsoun in her first start. A somewhat errant pass got past the defense, finding a sprinting Manaka, who was able to get past the German defender with a nasty little Jordan-esque push-off that sent the defender to the ground, leaving nothing but space and time for the attacker who wasted none of it, putting on a rocket towards goal. Unfortunately, while defender Sarah Gorden was in the right place, her headed effort to clear the attempt, only helped it get past Anderson for the opening goal of the match.
Manaka Matsukubo creates the space and drives it to the back of the net! 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/nwuPGea18b
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 13, 2025
It took just over ten minutes before the home side were able to double their lead. A solid cross into the box looked to be defended well by Gisele Thompson, but once again, unfortunate bounces. Despite being there to stop the ball into the box, Thompson couldn’t get enough on it to clear the ball away, or a deft enough touch to control it herself, causing the ball to slowly sit in the box, almost serving as an assist for the streaking Brianna Pinto who needed just one chance to smash it home for the second goal of the day.
ANOTHER NC GOAL!
What a finish from Brianna Pinto 🚀 pic.twitter.com/fdNjjhpDpR
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 13, 2025
Despite digging a hole early, Angel City did an excellent job making sure it wasn’t one of those days where you get routed. They were able to tighten up defensively and went into the halftime break down just the two goals. The only issue, this is still a team that is figuring out how to unlock their attack, and with recent departures, that effort has only become more difficult. The silver lining, they were a lot more efficient in the second half, just not clinical enough. The team had four shots, with three finding the target, and eventually, they did get to cut the deficit in half, but didn’t have quite enough to complete the comeback. After what has felt like months of tense efforts, close calls, missed opportunities and a bit of frustration, we finally got to see Sveindís Jónsdóttir score her first-ever NWSL goal, opening her account for Angel City.
It took 88 minutes, but Angel City were able to get on the board courtesy of some gorgeous link-up play. Defender Miyabi Moriya was able to attack the flank, and then connected with midfielder Jun Endo for some stunning one-two passing that opened up more space for the defender to attack, as she went looking for help inside the box. Sending the ball into the box, it found Sveindís who was waiting in front of goal, and with one touch, opened her account for her new side, while cutting the lead in half.
First NWSL goal ✅
Sveindís Jónsdóttir scores her first for Angel City with a clean finish! pic.twitter.com/OfbNVQI7Ku
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 13, 2025
Despite the team looking a lot more threatening in the closing 15 minutes of the match, it was a case of too little, too late as the team couldn’t overcome the two goal deficit. In the end, it was a disappointing loss to close out the brief road trip. While the loss dealt a blow to the team’s postseason push, it hasn’t ended it, yet. As it stands, the team currently sit just four points off Racing Louisville (which could be three points back depending on the finish of their match against Seattle Reign, which was suspended at halftime due to a medical event on the pitch). The good news, they still play Racing Louisville before the close of the season, as well as a few other teams that are fighting for the same final playoff spots. It wont be easy, but they can still dictate their destiny, but they need to win. Before any of that though, they have a very tough return home this Thursday, as they get set to host the second-placed Washington Spirit, who haven’t lost in ten matches.
Thoughts on the tough loss to North Carolina? Leave a comment below!