Match Preview: Angel City FC vs. OL Reign Banc of California Stadium | Los Angeles, California – Saturday, July 30 at 10:30 PM ET
Players to watch:
In her first appearance this season, Angel City forward Claire Emslie came off the bench to score the game winner in the 81st minute against San Diego for her first career NWSL goal. Emslie is now the first Angel City sub ever to score a goal for the club in league play. Leading the team in scoring on the year are forward Christen Press and midfielder Savannah McCaskill, both of whom have tallied twice on the year. However, goals have still not been the club’s strong suit, with the team having scored a goal in just six of their 11 games in total.
OL Reign attacker Tziarra King led the Reign with three chances created against Kansas City in the team’s last match, while also attempting three shots. King is the second Reign player to have a game with 3+ chances created and 3+ shots in the same game this season, joining midfielder Rose Lavelle (May 29). On the most recent tear, though, is forward Bethany Balcer, who has managed to find the back of the net in three of the team’s last four outings.
Match facts: Angel City FC hosts West Coast foes OL Reign in the final game of Saturday night’s action across the league, which stands as the fourth all-time meeting between the two sides in Angel City’s first campaign.
The hosts were victorious in a 2-1 result over San Diego in its last game played, their fourth multi-goal game as a club in all competitions. Angel City has yet to score multiples goals in consecutive matches, though, joining Gotham FC and the Houston Dash as the only teams this season yet to do so.
The Reign, however, hit the road looking for their first away win in league play this season (D2 L3). This is just the second time the club had failed to win any of its first five road games of a season, having gone winless in their first six ever road games in 2013.
The visitors have managed to win all three previous meetings against Angel City though, with two in the Challenge Cup and one in the regular season. In addition, forward Bethany Balcer has scored in each of her last two games between the Reign and Angel City.
