Angel City returns from break with a 2-0 win over Orlando Pride

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Orlando Pride SC forward Marta (10) dribbles the ball during a match between Orlando Pride SC and Angel City FC on Friday, July 3, 2026 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles California

LOS ANGELES – Angel City officially returned from summer break with a 2-0 victory against the Orlando Pride at BMO Stadium on Friday night.

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Orlando made the first attempt of the night in the eighth minute, but Angel City were the only ones scoring. Maiara Niehues put the home side ahead with a goal in the 36th minute. The 21-year-old Brazilian midfielder sent a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner of the net for her third goal of the season.  

Angel City had moments of explosion throughout the first twenty minutes. A strong play sequence in the 14th minute showed a squad with more cohesiveness and connectivity between the midfield and defense. Despite maintaining less than half of total possession in the first half, ACFC had three shots on target while Orlando had none. The Los Angeles side finished with six of a total 15 shots on goal. 

Sveindís Jónsdóttir doubled the lead in the 56th minute, marking her first goal since March 27. She intercepted a pass near midfield, dribbled in on an angle, shooting toward the far post for the goal. Jónsdóttir missed the last four games with a foot injury. 

“She's really important for us,” said interim head coach Leif Gunnar Smerud of Jónsdóttir. “She has the quality to run in behind to press well, and I saw Sveindís giving everything she had to the team, as she always does.”

Heading into Friday evening, Angel City sat ninth in the league’s table. Orlando (5-2-7) was just above the Los Angeles side in eighth place.  

In the 25th minute, Ally Sentnor took a shot; it went wide, but it was still a shot nonetheless. What matters is that fans saw Sentnor create fast breaks and chances throughout the 90 minutes. 

“We got the win, we’ve been working hard the past weeks in training,” Sentnor said. “It wasn’t perfect, but I think you saw what we’re building toward.” 

Ally Sentor made her club-starting debut after signing with Angel City on June 19th, during the league’s summer break. The 24-year-old’s signing was announced two days after news broke that the club had fired former head coach Alexander Straus. 

“It was a good win against a good team,” Smerud said. “The players showed character, had some good moments, pressed well and dealt with the ball well against a good team.”

It was the club’s first game under Smerud. He joined the club as an assistant coach in May, after coaching in Europe.

Angel City will play its next two games on the road, July 11 against San Diego and July 18 against Chicago. 


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