Angel City FC began its preparation for the 2025 NWSL season with a decisive result. The Los Angeles side won a closely contested match against Portland Thorns in the Coachella Valley Invitational, securing a 2-1 win that, while a preseason match, already suggests what will occur with the teams this season.
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The game was charged with thrills, debuts, and the moments that revved the spectators. Thorns led early in the second half, but Angel City remained spirited and overpowered the opponents during stoppage time to get the win, one that will even more galvanize the confidence of the team before the league season is even officially kicked off.
But beyond the score, what really counts in this type of game? What does this victory do for Angel City? And what can we expect from the team in the NWSL season? Let's break it all down.
Angel City shows competitiveness and composure to close out the comeback
Preseason friendlies can be chaotic. Coaches try things out, players see game time, and the final score does not always translate to what transpires during the campaign. Yet, certain in-game traits reveal a great deal more than a scoreline.
Against Portland Thorns, one of the NWSL's more old-school teams, Angel City showed mental fortitude and fighting spirit. Though they went behind in the 57th minute, when Payton Linnehan capitalized on a defensive slip to score the goal, the team did not lose their nerve and came back strongly.
The equalizer came a whole ten minutes afterward, when Lily Nabet got her timing perfectly on a corner kick and delivered a header to the goal. And in stoppage time, when it was looking like the game would just never conclude as a tie, Scottie Antonucci provided the difference. After a quick ball recovery, she delivered a hard shot from atop the box to seal the 2-1 win and cap the comeback.
A promising year ahead
With 14 sides and a 26-game fixture list, the 2025 NWSL season promises to be one of the most competitive in years. All the clubs are using the preseason to tweak and experiment with formations.
This is only the second year NWSL clubs have participated in the Coachella Valley Invitational, and the tournament is proving to be a decent opportunity to assess the performance of the teams before the beginning of the actual season.
Angel City's season opener in the NWSL will be an uphill battle. With an unimpressive 2024 season, the expectation level is high from the team. San Diego Wave is lined up against them for their inaugural regular-season game. Portland Thorns have a stiff opening also, against Kansas City Current.
The challenge now for both clubs is how to turn a decent preseason into regular-season consistency throughout the year.