Angel City FC salvages draw against Kansas City

Considering how much time Angel City Football Club spent defending its goal, the team was fortunate to play the Kansas City Current to a 1-1 draw in an NWSL match on Friday night at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

Kansas City, which ran its unbeaten streak to 11 matches, spent much of the night pressing Angel City high up the field, creating a slew of turnovers that resulted in a wave of attacks.

Angel City (6-5-4, 22 points) survived the onslaught deep into the match and then struck first on a header from Cari Roccaro that looped over KC keeper AD Franch in the 78th minute.

But the Current (7-45, 26 points) answered in the 82nd minute using the formula that had worked from the outset, pressing Angel City into a mistake. Lo LaBonta took the ball from an Angel City defender and was almost immediately

ACFC 1, KANSAS CITY 1 Up next: ACFC at Gotham City FC, Aug. 28, 2p.m., BSSC

fouled inside the box.

LaBonta converted her fourth penalty kick of the season to tie the score.

Not long after that, Kansas City’s Elyse Bennett thought she’d won the match during stoppage time, but officials whistled her for being a half-step offside and the teams settled for a draw.

Angel City won its only other meeting with the Current, 1-0, on May 21 at Banc of California Stadium.

Angel City — which is 1-0-2 in its past three league matches — is off until Aug. 28 when it plays another road game at Gotham FC. Angel City then has three road matches in a seven-day stretch from Sept. 11-17, at Houston, North Carolina and San Diego.