Angel City Football Club has emerged from the summer break looking like the team that started the 2026 season.
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Angel City opened the season winning its first three games, allowing just two goals.
Since resuming the NWSL season July 3, Angel City has won consecutive games, defeating the Orlando Pride and San Diego Wave FC without allowing a goal.
“Over the break, we just tried to simplify everything,” defender and captain Sarah Gorden said after last week’s win over San Diego. “First and foremost, to focus on us, to focus on the things that we do well, to refine the things that we do well. And secondly, to simplify the things we need to get better at, which we felt like were defending in transition, defending in box and things like that.
“I would say the third thing is that (interim coach) Leif is bringing the mentality of presence over perfection and trusting ourselves.”
Despite consecutive wins, Angel City (6-6-1, 19 points) still sits outside the playoff line in ninth place.
Another key has been the play in goal from Angelina Anderson. The keeper has recorded back-to-back shutouts – the first time an Angel City player has done that since the first season in 2022. She was credited with six saves last week against San Diego.
“I feel like a win in San Diego is amazing, but the shutout was really important for us,” Anderson said.
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On Saturday, Angel City has a chance at its second three-game winning streak of the season. Up next is a trip to face the Chicago Stars (4-10-0, 14 points), currently in 15th place in the NWSL with just eight goals scored and 28 allowed.
As of Friday, the game is still on. Like many cities on the East Coast, Chicago has also had its air quality impacted by the Canadian wildfires.
In a statement, the Chicago Stars said, along with the NWSL, they’re “actively monitoring air quality and heat conditions and will provide updates regarding tomorrow’s match as needed, with the health and safety of players, fans and staff remaining the top priority.”
According the weather reports out of Chicago, the air should improve, but the smoke will likely return late Saturday night. Angel City arrived Thursday evening.
Thursday’s Chicago Fire home game against the Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed.
Angel City adds to coaching staff
Angel City announced Thursday the addition of Mariana Cabral as an assistant coach and Luis Hunt as Head of Goalkeeping.
Cabral spent last season with the Utah Royals and earlier this season with the Stars. She spent eight years with Sporting Club Portugal in various roles, including coach (2021-24).
Hunt recently served as assistant coach with the San Diego State women’s team and goalkeeper coach of the U.S. U-23s women’s team.
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ANGEL CITY FC (6-6-1, 19 points) at CHICAGO STARS FC (4-10, 14 points)
When: 3:30 p.m. PT Saturday
Where: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, Evanston, Ill.
How to watch: ION