Ally Sentnor had already scored one penalty this season when she stepped up for another in the 18th minute on Wednesday night in Los Angeles. The Angel City midfielder converted her second spot kick in consecutive weeks after Maiara Niehue's volley attempt drew a handball on Seattle Reign midfielder Angharad James-Turner. That goal opened the scoring in what became a 3-1 victory, a result that tightened the race for the final playoff spot in the National Women's Soccer League.
Sentnor's penalty was the first of three Angel City goals. Evelyn Shores delivered a corner kick in the 40th minute and Ary Borges, left unmarked, headed it home to double the lead. The third goal came in the 81st minute from Taylor Suarez, who had been on the pitch for roughly 30 seconds before racing past multiple defenders and placing the ball into the side-netting. It was a clinical finish that put the game out of reach before Seattle could mount any serious response.
Sofia Huerta pulled one back for the Reign with a long-range blast in stoppage time, but it was too late to change the outcome. The goal gave Seattle a consolation and little else.
The result leaves Angel City at 10-8-6, unbeaten in four matches. They now trail Seattle by a single point for the last playoff position in the league standings. Seattle, at 11-9-4, saw a three-game winning streak snapped with the loss.
The match carried added weight given the standings. Angel City had been building momentum through their unbeaten run, and this win over a direct rival for playoff positioning gave them a tangible step forward. Seattle, meanwhile, will have to regroup after seeing their recent form halted in Los Angeles.
In the other NWSL match on Wednesday, Bay FC came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with the Denver Summit.
Denver looked in control early. Natalie Means played a low-driven cross into Lindsey Heaps in the 42nd minute, and Heaps finished off the counter with a tap-in goal. Janine Sonis made it 2-0 in the 57th minute, sliding in to convert a low-driven cross from Yazmeen Ryan.
Bay FC responded in the 73rd minute when Claire Hutton snuck a right-footed shot into the net from a narrow angle. The equalizer came from Taylor Huff, who had already registered an assist on Bay's first goal. Huff intercepted a clearance and fired the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Abby Smith to level the score.
The draw ended a three-match losing streak for Bay FC, who now sit at 6-13-5. Denver, at 8-8-8, will look at the result as two points dropped after holding a two-goal advantage.
For Angel City, the focus now shifts to maintaining their unbeaten run and closing the gap on Seattle. The one-point margin between the two sides means every remaining match carries consequence. Sentnor's form from the penalty spot, Borges' presence in the air and Suarez's impact off the bench give Angel City multiple ways to score, which will matter as the season winds down.
Seattle's loss snapped their momentum at a time when the playoff picture is tightening. The Reign had won three straight before Wednesday, and the defeat in Los Angeles leaves them vulnerable to teams below them in the table.
The NWSL season continues this weekend, with both Angel City and Seattle looking to rebound or extend their respective trajectories.
According to Yahoo Sports.