Angel City FC fall to Seattle Reign FC 2-3 in controversial match

On paper if you didn’t see the score, you’d be forgiven for believing that ACFC is making a serious turnaround in their season and were dominating Reign FC at home for the entire match. Then you look at the score, 2-3, and you realize that this team while doing all the right things and growing and evolving as they progress through the season continue to struggle to make their entry into the playoff contention.

In a match that was filled with goals, 7 total, 5 actually counted, it was a tale of dynamic offensive third play with flowing give and go sequences and exciting runs from the rising Alyssa Thompson who continues to impress late in the season. In sharp contrast, defensive lapses for ACFC that demonstrated weaknesses in their defensive organization on the counter attack. A theme that has plagued their success this season, and continues to be a weak point as they approach the final matches of the season.

Then there was the officiating. While luck should never be counted as a match day strategy, for Reign luck was certainly on their side. A controversial penalty call in favor, a non-called penalty for ACFC, 2 disallowed goals and a chorus of derogatory chants from a packed ACFC stadium was the summary of a match that was filled with questionable officiating. In the post game press conference Becki Tweed did not care to comment but was visibly perturbed by the notion of the officiating, with Sarah Gordon giving some choice commentary in her press conference just earlier.

Either way, for ACFC the fact still stands — they sit in 9th place 2 points behind the Chicago Red Stars and desperately close to their goal of making a playoff campaign happen for the city of Los Angeles. With only a handful of games left every point will count.