Teenagers key to Angel City Football Club playoff push

If there is another late-season playoff push for Angel City Football Club, you could expect to see the teenagers playing a huge role.

After going all season without scoring, Alyssa Thompson finally broke through last Saturday with both goals in a 2-1 victory over San Diego Wave FC.

“I’ve been feeling a lot better and my teammates have helped me a lot with just reminding me and keeping perspective that we have a really long season,” Thompson, 19, said last week. “It’s the second-half season and we’re all ready to just play together. I feel really good that I got my first two under my belt, and now I can continue to grow.”

Thompson isn’t the youngest contributor for Angel City. That distinction belongs to Kennedy Fuller, 17, who has played in 15 league games, all four of the Summer Cup games and has started to settle into her midfield role.

“You forget how young she is,” ACFC coach Becki Tweed said of Fuller. “It’s great to see her continue to grow each game. We’re starting to see her personality come out on the field now.

“She can be so dynamic when she gets the ball faced forward, running at back lines. She knows that she has to continue to build relationships to get that final pass nailed, and that will get her more assists and keep her productive in the attacking third. She has started to come into her own. She’s so comfortable on the ball, doesn’t mind getting the ball under pressure and wants to get faced up and cause problems.”

The duo leads Angel City into another key match Sunday as the Chicago Red Stars visit BMO Stadium. Chicago sits in seventh place (23 points). Angel City is in 10th after last week’s win with 18 points. Bay FC currently holds eighth and final playoff spot with 21 points.

It is also a two-game week for Angel City, with the Washington Spirit visiting Friday. Two wins could go a long toward Angel City making another late playoff charge.

“This is a very different group than last year, but a lot of us are still here,” defender and captain Sarah Gorden said “What we did on that run at the end of the season last year is more of a mentality than anything else.

“It’s a mentality that you get the job done and you do whatever you have to do to get the job done, it’s not ugly but it gets the job done. We know what we’re capable of and what we can do, and we’ve done it before. It brings you confidence, knowing that it’s possible and it’s also an expectation. It’s a different level that we know that we can reach. So, it’s definitely on our minds and in our hearts and that’s what we plan to do.”

Giselle Thompson away

Angel City defender Giselle Thompson, the 18-year-old younger sister of Alyssa Thompson, is with the U.S. U-20 for the FIFA World Cup. The U.S. begins play at 1 p.m. Sunday against Spain (FS2).

This is Thompson’s second youth World Cup, having played in the U-17 tournament in 2022.

The U.S. will also face Morocco (6 p.m. Sept. 4, FS2) and Paraguay (4 p.m. Sept. 7, FS2) in group play.

CHICAGO at ANGEL CITY FC

When: 1 p.m. Sunday

Where: BMO Stadium

TV: CBS Ch. 2