WASHINGTON — Reigning NWSL Rookie of the Month Riley Tiernan scored two goals, including the game-winner in stoppage time, as Angel City FC beat the Washington Spirit, 4-3, on Friday night in the nation’s capital.
Washington had tied the score in the 89th minute when Gabby Carle sent a long ball over the top to forward Brittany Ratcliffe, who headed it back across the back line. The ball deflected off an Angel City defender and fell to Esme Morgan, who got a foot on it for her second goal of the night and a 3-3 tie.
In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Christen Press headed a corner kick by Claire Emslie down toward the mouth of goal, where Tiernan was lurking and converted a one-touch shot into the top of the net for the game-winner.
Gisele Thompson and Katie Zelem also scored for Angel City (3-2-2, 11 points), while Gift Monday scored for the Spirit (4-3-0, 12 points).
Angel City opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a goal by Tiernan. Alyssa Thompson play a through ball to defender M.A. Vignola, who took the ball to the end line before sending a diagonal ball toward the center of the box, where Tiernan finished a well-timed run with a low one-timer.
The Rutgers product, who was named the NWSL Rookie of the Month for April, has five goals in her last five matches and leads all league rookies through six weeks.
Angel City doubled its lead in the 22nd minute when Alanna Kennedy sent a long ball over the top to Alyssa Thompson on the left. Thompson crossed the ball into the 6-yard box, where her younger sister Gisele jumped to make contact and volleyed the ball past goalkeeper Sandy MacIver from close range. It is the first sister-to-sister goal in NWSL history.
Washington broke through in the 30th minute, with Gabby Carle sending a long ball over the top. Forward Ashley Hatch flicked a header to the corner of the 6-yard box, where Morgan caught up to the ball and finished with an angled shot inside the far post.
The Spirit knotted the match 10 minutes later when Rosemonde Kouassi pounced on an uncleared ball and knocked it over the top to Monday. The Nigerian international volleyed the ball into the net for a 2-2 tie.
ACFC nearly went back ahead early in the second half, when Alyssa Thompson cut past her defender and put a shot on frame in the 50th minute, but MacIver saved it. MacIver made another big save in the 63rd minute when Emslie curled a free kick over the wall before the Spirit keeper dove to swat it away for a corner kick.
Angel City regained the lead in the 72nd minute, when Gisele Thompson and Zelem exchanged a pair of passes on the right edge of the 18-yard box. Zelem created space between herself and a defender and buried a right-footed shot into the back of the net for a 3-2 lead.
UP NEXT
Angel City plays host to the Utah Royals next Friday at 7:30 p.m.