**Los Angeles, California** – Angel City FC defeated the Washington Spirit, 2-1, thanks to goals from forwards Clair Emslie and Simone Charley either side of halftime that were in part cancelled out by Spirit forward Ashley Hatch from the penalty spot late on.
The first half’s action started quickly with the hosts Angel City seeing an early chance for midfielder Savannah McCaskill getting on the end of a corner kick at the near post and forcing a great save from Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury to keep it out. Minutes later, the hosts continued to build momentum and saw a right-footed effort from forward Claire Emslie saved well by Kingsbury, who would been tested multiple times and did well to respond to each attempt.
Just past the half hour mark, though, Angel City had won a corner through forward Jun Endo, whose left-footed shot from a difficult angle was sent away for a set piece. Off the corner from Emslie, ACFC defender Clarisse Le Bihan hit the post with a powerful headed effort from the center of the box that clipped the left post on its way back out of play.
Washington was not without chances in the first half, with a big pair of looks in the 36 ^th and 38 ^th minute keeping Angel City on check. First, it was attacker Ashley Sanchez who had a right-footed effort from outside the box saved, then two minutes later, it was Dorian Bailey who suffered the same fate with her left foot.
Instead, immediately on the other side of Bailey’s chance was Angel City’s first goal as a long ball over the top sent defender Ali Riley in behind, and Riley’s ball across the face of goal allowed Emslie to tap home and give the home crowd something to cheer about. Riley did well to settle the ball out of the air at the first time of asking, and Emslie’s positioning was great as Angel City took a narrow one-goal lead into halftime.
The second half began with a similar bang as forward Simone Charley headed home in the 51 ^st minute as teammate Jasmyne Spencer picked her out with a cross. Spencer had possession on the right flank and cut down before cutting back and losing her defender. Lifting a cross into the box for Charley, the attacker then redirected a headed effort to the far post and in to help her side go two in front.
Not done yet, though, Washington continued to battle back and make a game of it as Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haracic was asked to leap into action at multiple points in the second half. Most significantly, however, was the opportunity the Spirit were given in the 88 ^th minute from 12 yards out for forward Ashley Hatch. Hatch had won the penalty after Angel City’s Dani Weatherholt was judged to have brought her down in the box and was now stepping up to take the attempt. With an opportunity to pull one back with still time left, Hatch converted well as Haracic failed to get in place in time to stop the shot.
However, despite Washington’s best attempts at a comeback result, Angel City would hold on and secure an extremely important three points as the race for the playoff positions heats up. The win lifts the hosts back above North Carolina in seventh place as they attempt to track down Chicago for the sixth and final place with just a pair of regular season games left.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights