Angel City beats Bay FC to go top of Summer Cup

When the starting whistle blew, Angel City FC were ready to show Bay FC who was boss. In a display that mixed skill, strategy and a touch of luck, ACFC came away with a 2-0 victory, won largely thanks to the star of the night, Claire Emslie. The match, played away from home.

Right from the off, Bay FC tried to show their mettle, with striker Rachel Hill forcing goalkeeper Angelina Anderson into a crucial save in the third minute. However, this was to be one of the few chances Bay would have in the first half. Angel City took the reins from then on, keeping possession and dictating the pace of the game.

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In the 18th minute, Angel City opened the scoring in unexpected fashion. Megan Reid, always on her toes, took advantage of a perfect cross from Claire Emslie. The ball, instead of being cleared by the opposing defense, ended up hitting midfielder Dorian Bailey and ending up in the back of the net. A real gift for ACFC, who made the most of the opportunity.

Bay FC tried to respond in the 25th minute, but Anderson made a solid save from Caroline Conti's powerful shot. It was one of Bay's few real chances, but they couldn't overcome Angel City's well-organized defence. Emslie, who was on an inspired night, almost extended the lead in the 29th minute, but her shot went just wide of the goal.

The second half saw Angel City create more chances. Alyssa Thompson and MA Vignola almost scored, but their accuracy was lacking at the decisive moments. Bay had one last chance before the break, but Maya Doms' header was thwarted by the crossbar, keeping the score in Angel City's favor.

The second half began with Angel City maintaining the pressure. In the 54th minute, Emslie, always her, received a perfect pass from Messiah Bright and didn't waste it. The shot doubled ACFC's lead and all but sealed the game's fate. Bright, who provided the assist, celebrated his first direct contribution to a goal in an Angel City shirt, a moment of pride and confirmation of his talent.

In the final 30 minutes, Bay tried desperately to regain control of the game, but Angel City's defense, led by Anderson, held firm. Several of Bay's attempts were thwarted by the well-positioned defense and Angelina Anderson herself, who made important saves, including blocking a dangerous shot from Princess in the 77th minute.

When the final whistle blew, Angel City's victory was a testament to their collective skill and the leadership on the pitch of players like Claire Emslie. This victory guaranteed ACFC top spot in Group B of the Summer Cup. After the game, Messiah Bright spoke about the team's renewed confidence.

“It's doing a lot for us. It's allowing us to build this chemistry with each other. Our main motto, especially for today's efforts playing the game, was to have fun and enjoy the moment. That's one thing that's separating us and keeping us apart from everyone else we compete against.”

Casey Phair's debut was also a highlight of the evening. The 17-year-old came on in the 66th minute, replacing Bright, and described her debut as “surreal”. Phair spoke about the challenge of adapting to the professional level, but also about the pride and satisfaction of finally seeing his hard work rewarded on the pitch.

In the end, Angel City's victory was not just a positive result, but a demonstration of strength, cohesion and potential. With talented players and a well-defined strategy, the future could be good for this team, and who knows, maybe they'll be back on the right foot when the NWSL regular season starts.