Angel City FC’s Christen Press continues joyful comeback

For the first time since tearing her ACL on June 11, 2022, Angel City Football Club’s Christen Press made her return to competition Aug. 1 during the NWSL Summer Cup.

On Aug. 24, she played in her first NWSL regular-season game. And on Sunday, her comeback reached another milestone, playing in a regular-season game at BMO Stadium for the first time in 819 days.

“It’s so special being back here,” Press, 35, said Sunday. “It’s been quite the journey, from the last time I remember suiting up and playing in a game here.

“There’s no place like this. The most amazing fans and community, so to be back and playing in front of everybody, it’s been a joy. You can probably see on my face when I’m playing, I’m ear-to-ear smiling because I’m just able to slow a bit and feel it and smell it.”

After enduring four knee surgeries due to complications, Press has now played four consecutive games, including the last two in the Summer Cup. Sunday, she entered in the 70th minute and tallied her longest stint, playing the final 20 minutes plus eight minutes of stoppage time.

“No matter where you are in your journey, you have this perspective of the gap between where you are and where you think you can be, that’s how I felt at the very top of my game,” Press said .”Through the course of my recovery, it was, ‘Getting stronger. OK, now you have to get fit. OK, great, now you have to get some technique back.’ And so there’s always a yearning for improvement.”

“I definitely feel like I have young legs, like a young Bambi, where I’m out there and I’m playing these games in my mind of what it feels like to be at this level and to play at this speed. I think often just with my personality and how I am, I feel I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be and exactly who I am. I know what kind of player I am.

“I never missed a beat in terms of how I like to receive the ball, how I know I can score goals. It didn’t take long for me to feel strong and confident in that. So I think, the big things for me now are getting fitness so I can get clear for more minutes and game experience, so that I can feel more confident and stronger on the field.”

Press and Angel City (6-9-3) continue their two-game homestand Friday as the Seattle Reign (4-9-5) visits BMO Stadium. Angel City is 5-1-1 in their last seven games across all competitions.

“We talked about it before the game that we’re excited to play proper minutes together,” ACFC forward Sydney Leroux said. “It’s was really nice to be on the field back with (Christen) Press. I’m so proud of her and her recovery. I’ve seen the last two years when it’s been tough.”

Angel City sits in ninth place, but tied at 21 points with Bay FC, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot with eight games remaining.

BAY, IGER OFFICIALLY ON BOARD

Willow Bay and Bob Iger are officially the new controlling owners of Angel City FC, the club announced Thursday. The deal was unanimously approved by the NWSL’s Board of Governors.

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The transaction values Angel City at $250 million, the highest ever for women’s professional sports team. The deal also includes an additional $50 million “capital injection to support the club’s operations and growth goals.”

Iger is the CEO of Disney and Bay is the deal of USC Annenberg.

SEATTLE REIGN at ANGEL CITY FC

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: BMO Stadium

How to watch: Prime Video

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