Angel City Football Club earned a 3-0 victory over Utah Royals FC on Sunday, Sept. 20, at American First Field in Sandy, Utah, according to a September 20 report. The win marked the club's eighth clean sheet of the season, establishing a new club record and moving Angel City into sixth place in the NWSL standings.
The match was influenced early after Utah was reduced to 10 players in the 11th minute following a red card issued to Paige Cronin for a tackle from behind on Prisca Chilufya. Utah fell to nine players in the 23rd minute when Cece Delzer received a second red card, resulting in a penalty for Angel City. Ally Sentnor converted the penalty in the 26th minute into the top-left corner, marking her fifth goal of the season and her third consecutive converted penalty kick.
Angel City maintained 72 percent possession in the first half. Taylor Suarez, appearing as a substitute for Chilufya, scored just 72 seconds into the second half to double the lead. This goal was Suarez's third of her rookie campaign and her second consecutive match scoring after entering as a substitute. Sveindís Jónsdóttir secured the victory with a goal in the 67th minute after winning the ball from Utah's Tatumn Milazzo. This goal was Jónsdóttir's eighth of the season, tying the club's all-time single-season scoring record held by Maiara Niehues and Riley Tiernan.
Interim Head Coach Leif Smerud stated that the team worked hard to press and not give away anything, noting that the players' professional job made it clear who was winning. Smerud also commented on Suarez's development, noting her ability to get into scoring situations and her quality of finish.
Goalkeeper Angelina Anderson recorded her eighth clean sheet of the season, setting a new single-season club record. Anderson made several key saves during the match, including stops on Mina Tanaka and Narumi Miura. Anderson credited the team effort for the achievement, noting that the players coming off the bench are significant difference-makers as the game progresses.
Angel City is scheduled to play the Washington Spirit at Audi Field on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 3:30 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on ION.
