LOS ANGELES — After trailing by two goals at halftime, the Angel City Football Club found a response that led to a draw Saturday against Racing Louisville FC.
The game changed after the 60th minute mark as Angel City (1-1-1, four points) sent on Madison Hammond, Ali Riley and Alyssa Thompson as substitutes. The moves finally paid off in the 68th minute as Angel City got on the board as Katie Johnson knocked home a free kick from Savannah McCaskill.
In the 88th minute, Thompson set up the tying goal as she hit a cross that was mis-hit by a Louisville player and fell to McCaskill, who hit a falling, side-volley with her right to tie the game at 2-2 and that’s where it ended at BMO Stadium in front of 18,007.
A chance at stealing the three points nearly materialized minutes later as Thompson got a break of space, cut back and fired a shot that hit the post from inside the six-yard box.
“Obviously in the first half, you never want to give up a PK that early and we also let the game get way too stretched,” McCaskill said. “We wanted to keep the ball and we wanted to stay compact and we came out on the back foot.
“Going into the second half, we just spoke to each other and said it had to better. From an individual standpoint, from a collective standpoint, it had to be better on and off the ball and I think that’s what she showed in the second half. It was a collective effort from the players that started the second half to the gamechangers that came on, it was a huge team effort to be able to come back and get a result.”
Bellflower native Savannah DeMelo got Racing Louisville on the board early, drawing and converting a penalty kick for 1-0 lead in the third minute.
In the 32nd minute, DeMelo turned playmaker and set up Kirsten Davis who fired from atop the 18-yard box and the ball eluded a diving DiDi Haracic to settle into the goal.
Racing Louisville nearly had a third before halftime, but a DeMelo shot was saved, allowing Angel City to head…
Read the full article here
