LOS ANGELES — Thanks to Adriana’s goal in the 22nd minute, the Orlando Pride topped Angel City 1-0 on Monday night in a crucial game for both teams in their bids for a NWSL playoff slot.
A spectacular volley hit from Adriana came after the initial shot was deflected into the air and over to the right, where she hit it a second time, beating Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson inside the near post.
With a chance to move even on points for the sixth and final playoff spot in the 12-team league, Angel City was unable to break through in front of 18,102 at BMO Stadium.
At 9-10-1 with 28 points, the Pride are tied for sixth place with OL Reign and next play Friday night at 10th-place Racing Louisville before finishing the regular season at Exploria Stadium on Oct. 15 against eighth-place Houston.
The loss leaves Angel City on 25 points and in ninth place with just two games remaining. The loss was also its first under interim coach Becki Tweed. Angel City had an 11-game unbeaten streak (6-0-5) under Tweed in league and Challenge Cup competitions.
“Soccer is a funny game. You can dominate and lose or you can dominate and win,” said Tweed, who attempted to find a spark by bringing on erstwhile Pride stalwarts Sydney Leroux and Jasmyne Spencer along with Scarlett Camberos as attacking substitutes in the second half. “It comes down to us just not being clinical enough.”
In the 84th minute, Angel City thought it had earned a penalty kick as a cross appeared to have hit one or perhaps two Orlando defenders in the arm/hand area. However, referee Brandon Stevis was never alerted to take a look on the video review monitors.
In responding to a pool reporter’s question, Stevis said: “The on-field official determined that it wasn’t a punishable hand ball offense for a penalty kick. The VAR checked the incident as with all the hand ball offenses in the penalty area and the check completed the decision.”
Angel City dominated the possession battle and earned 11 corner kicks but was unable to get anything past Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse.
“At this point of the season, we have to win games,” Angel City midfielder Dani Weatherholt said.
The loss leaves Angel City in a similar situation to last season — heading into the final two weeks of the season mathematically alive but needing to climb a couple of hurdles in the process. Angel City visits Houston (6-6-8, 26 points) on Saturday and then concludes the regular season on Oct. 15 at home against the second-place Portland Thorns (9-6-5, 32 points). The Dash will be extremely tough, considering the game will be in Houston and that’s a team that has allowed just 15 goals all season.
Anderson was making just her second NWSL start, replacing regular starting goalkeeper DiDi Haračić, who was sidelined with a back injury.
