THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Angel City is the only NWSL team with no 2024 Olympians (after defender Ali Riley was withdrawn from New Zealand’s team due to injury).
While the team has no one to root for in the major tournament, they are using the time together to prepare for the second half of the regular season. Having an almost complete squad offers more opportunities for growth.
“It is a double-edged sword,” said coach Becki Tweed. "We want to support our players and their international careers. But while we have everybody here, we have to use that as a moment to move forward and continue to work on the things that will help us into the second half of the season.
Angel City has played in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup and won their first two matches.
Against Club América, Tweed liked 40 minutes of her team’s performance. Versus Bay FC, she enjoyed 70 minutes of it. Angel City wants to secure another victory on Thursday with a complete performance against their rivals, the San Diego Wave.
If they advance, they will make their first semifinal in club history. The farthest Angel City has finished in a competition is the quarterfinals of the 2023 NWSL playoffs.
Getting out of their group would also help them build towards the regular season. Angel City started the year with four wins in 16 matches, sitting 11th in the table and three points below a playoff position.
“Having something meaningful to play for is really important,” Tweed said. “Our goal is to always win games. Winning is contagious. Winning is something that you get momentum with.”
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Tweed said there was a “good vibe” after the team won back-to-back games. Forward Messiah Bright said that the team was trying to “have fun” and “be in the moment” during their 2-0 win over Bay.
Bright felt the lack of joy and presence was separating Angel City from the teams ahead of them in the standings. Winning helps achieve that.
“For the first time this year, [I] enjoyed cutting film, which is nice,” Tweed said. “ [We had] some really good moments in the game, and there is still a lot for us to learn from. We are excited to go into the game on Thursday.”
Tweed was pleased with how the team’s counter-press allowed them to sustain pressure in the attacking half. Later in the match, the team got away from that, and the game became stretched. She wants them to build on the positive moments.
“Something we have to learn from [the game] is continuing to play with what works and not deviate from it,” Tweed said. Overall, watching it back, there were some really good moments, some of our best moments of the season.”
Angel City will reach new heights if they advance. But, arguably as important, they could continue building their confidence.
The Summer Cup is shaping up to be a boost for the third-year team.