A little give-and-go did not go Angel City FC’s way.
Rose Lavelle dashed to her left after feeding Delanie Sheehan in the box, took a short pass and scored the decisive goal in Gotham FC’s 2-1 victory over Angel City FC on Saturday at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
The U.S. women’s national team veteran, who is in her first year with Gotham FC (6-2-3, 21 points) following three seasons with OL Reign, touched the ball twice before delivering a left-footed rocket that snuck between the left post and ACFC goalkeeper DiDi Haracic in the 62nd minute.
After defeating the expansion Utah Royals on May 3 for its third victory in four games, Angel City FC has gone 0-3-1. Defending NWSL champion Gotham FC, meanwhile, is undefeated in its past seven matches with a 5-0-2 record.
Angel City FC (3-6-2, 11 points) had two opportunities to draw even, but Merritt Mathias’ shot from outside the box in the 79th minute and Messiah Bright’s shot late in stoppage time from the right side of the box were saved by Gotham FC’s Ann-Katrin Berger.
Crystal Dunn opened the scoring in the 28th minute, finishing a fast break with a shot across the box. Haracic dove to her right and got a piece of it, but it still snuck inside the left post.
Clarisse Le Bihan tied it early in the second half. Her cross from the right was intended for Sydney Leroux, who drew two Gotham FC defenders. Instead, the ball sailed over all three players and, with Berger shielded, bounded into the net in the 51st minute.
Angel City’s next match will again be on the road as it will take on the Dash on Saturday in Houston.