Savy King’s return to play this season was off to a good start.
King had her 2025 season interrupted when she collapsed in an Angel City FC game against the Utah Royals on May 9. After undergoing heart surgery, she made her way back to the field this season, playing in the first four games of the season and starting three, but was dealt another blow.
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King suffered a foot injury that sidelined her until Aug. 16. Since returning, she has settled into the Angel City starting lineup.
“It has been an absolutely insane journey for me the last year and a half, almost two years. To see where I am now and to see everything that I’ve been through, two major injuries, three surgeries in the last year, to just see where I am now, is just incredible,” she said Wednesday.
“Sometimes I think about it, after games I’ll be like, ‘Wow, if I were to ask myself if I were to be in the position that I’m in today about six months ago, I would think you were crazy.’ It’s been a crazy journey. Angel City has just been incredible, all of our staff have really helped me get to the place that I am today and have believed in me and motivated me to get back to normal Savy, so I’m just really happy to be back.
“It really is insane to look back on all the resilience and strength that I’ve shown throughout this entire process. Just happy to be back.”
A normal and healthy King has helped Angel City (11-8-6, 39 points) make a big push up to sixth place in the NWSL standings. Upon her return from her foot injury in August, she played in three games as a second-half substitute. She’s been in the starting lineup since, heading into Saturday’s clash against the Washington Spirit.
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“She’s a really good player,” Angel City interim coach Leif Smerud said. “She’s a very good defender, so it’s been helpful for us to be able to push Gisele Thompson higher on the pitch and us being solid. She’s also a great leader and has a presence that she brings. I think it was her first game back and she was almost beaten, but she sprinted back and blocked a cross or a shot and that took a lot, but she will give you everything she has in every situation and that is always helpful for a team.”
After starting the road trip with a 3-0 win against the Utah Royals, Angel City wades into the rough waters, facing the Spirit (14-7-4, 46 points) and Gotham FC (15-4-6, 51 points) in consecutive weeks. The Spirit are in second place in the league and Gotham sits on top of the standings. Angel City did earn a draw in the first meetings with both teams (1-1 against Washington on Aug. 16 and 0-0 against Gotham FC on Aug. 23).
“They’re incredible teams,” King said. “They have done really well in this league so far this year. We have to go in with the same intensity that we did in the last time that we played them. I think we’re in really good form right now, our last five games have been great and I just think we’re on an upward trajectory, so we’re ready for any challenge that comes our way.”
In those last five games, Angel City is 4-0-1. With five games remaining, King and Angel City are in the thick of a playoff race and just three points behind third-place San Diego.
“In order to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best,” King said. “We’re trying to make the playoffs this year and get a home game in the first round, so we’re in really good form, so I’m really excited for these games and the next two games will be a really good test for us.”
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ANGEL CITY FC at WASHINGTON SPIRIT
When: 3:30 p.m. PT Saturday
Where: Audi Field, Washington, DC
How to watch: ION