Photo Credit: Chris Sydney
Los Angeles, CA | July 10 | Kelly Landaverde – @kel_una
Two Back to Back derby wins were witnessed at the Banc by sold out crowds this Friday, and Saturday, home of the LAFC, and Angel City FC. LAFC’s Angeleno derby was full of goals, as well as the Californian NWSL derby. This was an exciting, back and forth game. The locals didn’t miss the chances they had, and took advantage of the clear opportunities they had. Newest signing, Sydney Leroux found Jun Endo in the left, she saw Ali Riley running on her left side, she passed the ball over, and with a left angled footed shot near the end line, she ended up putting her side up 1-0 early in the 9th minute. Carly Telford couldn’t do anything to stop that first goal. It was Riley’s first NWSL career goal. Wave FC tried to tie the game in the 1st half but Dijana Haračić denied them from scoring. That 1st half ended with just two shots on target, one for each of them. San Diego were awarded a 25-yard free kick, that Abby Dahlkemper ended up curling over the wall, hitting the crossbar.
In the second half SD had barely subbed forward Katie Johnson, who found McNabb in a through ball. She then sent a left footed shot to the far post, to level it far from home. In the 63rd minute Kelsey Tumbow would have scored a golazo if her long range cross, would have bounced inside, instead of having bounced over the end line. On the other hand, ACFC kept on insisting on winning the game, defender Madison Hammond received a pass from Sydney Leroux, and she sent a curving shot, but Tellford denied her with an incredible save. In the 79th minute, defender Tyler Lussi received her second yellow card, and the team was left with only ten players during the rest of the match.
But this Derby was for the LA team, Cari Roccaro had sent a low cross in the penalty box trying to find Sydney. Claire Emslie was wide open on the far side of the box, she sent a right footed shot, and put them 2-1 ahead again. This match was her ACFC debut. In the 86th minute Dahlkemper sent a header on target on a corner kick from close range, but the keeper jumped and made a great save to keep the locals up by 1, tipping the ball over the bar, and out of the danger zone. Angel City is now in 5th place standings, they’ve improved slowly, before they were at the bottom. Angel City will play the Courage next Friday the 15th.