New Jersey- Angel City FC fell short on the East Coast against NWSL powerhouse NJ/NY Gotham FC, with Kennedy Fuller scoring the club’s lone goal. Recently signing Sara Doorsoun made her official debut for ACFC and the NWSL.
Immediately after kick-off, Angel City was off pressing high and fast in order to create shots on target. Just two minutes after the first whistle blew, 17-year-old Fuller netted the day's first goal. The midfielder struck the ball from the edge of the box on a half-volley and into the back of the net for her second goal of the season.
KENNEDY FULLER 🔥
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 7, 2025
You can't hit them much better than this! pic.twitter.com/MiwANBId6U
"We're still there. The line is so close, and there are still enough games for us to be able to push toward the playoffs. It's natural for teams to drop points and for teams to pick up points. Right now, we're worried about us and we're worried about how many points we can get before the end of the season," said Fuller. "Playoffs, that's our goal."
Despite an early lead, Angel City couldn’t keep up enough defensively, letting Gotham equalize the score in the 47th minute. Gabi Portilho tucked away a short pass from Midge Purce. Then, Rose Lavelle made it 2-1 by pouncing on a goalkeeping mistake in the 51st minute. It was the US Women’s National Team midfielder’s first goal of the season for Gotham. In the 68th minute, Jaelin Howell netted the final goal, adding a loss to Angel City’s record.
It’s been a chaotic week for Angel City; star midfielder Alyssa Thompson will no longer play in Los Angeles thanks to a nearly $1.5 million transfer deal to Women’s Super League (WSL) side Chelsea FC that was signed last Thursday. Thompson scored the game-winner two matches ago against the Orlando Pride and had been a key part of the offensive attack. Now, Angel City's midfield will incorporate new players and see changes under head coach Alex Straus as the club pushes for a spot in the playoffs.
Angel City's next game is Saturday, September 13th, on the road against the North Carolina Courage. ACFC now sits 10th on the league table, two spots before the playoff spot threshold. With only seven games remaining on the regular season schedule, Angel City needs four points to close the gap with the eighth spot in the league at this moment.