Angel City FC returned home Friday night with determination and energy, looking to make a statement under new head coach Alexander Straus. They opened the scoring in the 29th minute thanks to a composed finish by Kennedy Fuller, who capitalized on a well-timed pass to slot home her second goal of the season.
Despite the early lead and dominant possession through the first half, Angel City struggled to maintain control after halftime. The Chicago Stars came out aggressively in the second half, and their persistence paid off when Nadia Gomes fired a deflected shot past Angelina Anderson to tie the game at 1–1 in the 58th minute.
Chicago didn’t waste time capitalizing on their momentum. Just eight minutes after the equalizer, Ally Schlegel stunned the home crowd with a powerful strike from outside the box. Her goal gave the visitors a 2–1 lead and left Angel City scrambling to respond.
To their credit, Angel City didn’t collapse. Straus made several key substitutions and pushed his fullbacks higher, creating space along the flanks. The strategy paid off in the 80th minute when M.A. Vignola found herself in the right place at the right time. After her initial effort ricocheted off the crossbar, she buried the rebound to bring the game level.
The final ten minutes saw both teams trading chances in a frantic finish. Anderson came up big with two crucial saves to deny Chicago a third goal, while Angel City’s Alyssa Thompson nearly found a winner in stoppage time but curled her shot just wide of the post.
Angel City fans were energized by the team’s fighting spirit, especially with signs of tactical evolution under Straus. The draw moved Angel City to 4–4–3 on the season, good for 15 points and keeping them firmly in playoff contention with the second half of the season approaching.
As the players applauded the home crowd post-match, Straus praised his team’s tenacity and growth. “We’re building something here,” he said. “Tonight showed we’re not backing down—this is just the beginning.” Angel City next faces Racing Louisville on the road, hoping to convert resilience into three points.
