**SAN DIEGO, Calif.** – Angel City FC earned a big 2-1 derby win over San Diego Wave FC, with an early second half goal from Kristen McNabb undone by a goal from Paige Nielsen following a corner kick before MA Vignola won it late for the visiting side.
The two sides got at it from the jump with San Diego forward Amirah Ali testing Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haracic early on before Angel City defender Mary Vignola fired on San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s goal five minutes later, though neither player could convert.
First up, San Diego got the home crowd going when midfielder Sierra Enge was released down the right flank and into space. Enge picked her head up and saw a number of options available in the penalty area, but she opted to aim for forward Amirah Ali toward the back post with her cross. Her ball in did reach the head of Ali, but as she was being put off by a defender, Ali was unable to produce the power required to beat Haracic from close in for the opening goal.
Then, in the 10 ^th minute, defender Mary Vignola attempted to pounce on a lackluster clearance by the San Diego defense following an Angel City corner. The ball in was cleared temporarily by the Wave defense but only as far as Vignola just outside the box to the left of center. Vignola then drove toward goal and took a quick shot from 18 yards out that was powerful but ended up sliding just to the left of the near post and out of play.
In the 17 ^th minute, the hosts then returned with another threat on the Angel City goal, this time with Ali coming even closer to an opening goal. Ali was played in by a shot pass after a free kick near the endline on the right flank. Ali did well to settle a powerful pass in just a couple of yards out from goal, but she was denied again by Haracic who came up with another huge save from close in to keep the score equal.
As the two sides continued to press for an opening goal, San Diego’s next closest opportunity would come in the 39 ^th minute as the Wave threatened the Angel City goal through a back heel effort via midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard. The hosts were on the right flank in possession when a cross into the middle of the box found Dougherty Howard near the penalty spot. Producing a back heel toward goal, Dougherty Howard’s initial effort was blocked and eventually seen away for a corner kick as San Diego continued its push.
Just before the break, two chances for Angel City nearly separated the sides as both of midfielders Lily Nabet and Scarlett Camberos would test the San Diego defense, with Nabet curling a long distance effort just outside the far post and out of play, while Camberos had her toe poke saved by Sheridan from close in to prevent the opening goal.
An exciting second half full of chances is what ultimately separated the two sides saw plenty of chances created with the visiting side Angel City capitalizing on the most of what was created despite early momentum from the hosts.
Angel City were first to threaten the opposition goal as a corner kick lifted in in the 53 ^rd minute was eventually lifted in for the forward Leroux, but her headed effort was not nearly strong enough to beat Sheridan and disrupt the hosts’ defense.
Instead, San Diego defender Kristen McNabb separated the two sides when she fired in an unbelievable effort from just inside the box to make it 1-0 San Diego in the Southern California derby. A ball had been played across the top of the center of the box, leaving McNabb space to run onto the ball and fire a hard-hit effort past Haracic and in as she split defender Ali Riley’s legs and buried the effort from distance.
However, twelve minutes later, Angel City found itself level as Paige Nielsen fired home an equalizing goal that sent the away crowd into a frenzy as she brought the away side level at the back post. A cross into the box fell all the way to the back post for Nielsen, and her right-footed effort had more than enough power to beat Sheridan and bring the visitors level.
The two sides then continued to test each other as Angel City became the more apparent challengers of the two within the final few minutes, and the visitors would end up shocking he hosts via an 88 ^th minute winner from defender MA Vignola to separate the sides for good. A simple move forward allowed Camberos to play the ball forward in the left side of the box for Vignola, and the defender did well to beat the ball past Sheridan and earn the win for her side.
In the end, though San Diego began the day atop the league standings, the rivalry win allowed for Angel City to rise to 10 ^th place on 12 points, while the hosts San Diego remain in 1 ^st place after the first game of the weekend but could fall o as low as 6 ^th place depending on other results around the league.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights