Angel City needs Boston loss to host home playoff game

Angel City Football Club will play Boston Legacy FC at 2 p.m. Sunday at Dignity Health Sports Park. The team has already secured a spot in the National Women's Soccer League playoffs. Sunday's game determines whether they host a home game in the postseason.

Angel City currently holds the fifth seed with 49 points. They need a win to reach 50 points and claim fourth place. That outcome depends on the result of the simultaneous Sunday afternoon match between Racing Louisville FC and the Kansas City Current. Kansas City currently leads with 50 points. If Kansas City draws or loses, and Angel City beats Boston, Angel City takes the fourth seed.

The schedule was set to avoid a conflict with LAFC, which plays at BMO Stadium the same evening. Dignity Health Sports Park is the home venue for the LA Galaxy. The NWSL's top eight teams qualify for the playoffs. The quarterfinals pair the number one seed with number eight, number two with number seven, number three with number six, and number four with number five.

Angel City enters this final week after a strong late-season run. The team has not lost in its last nine matches, going 7-0-2. That streak began on Aug. 31 with a 5-2 win on the road against Boston. Coach Alex Straus was fired earlier this season after a slump following the first three wins. The team recovered after the summer break and has climbed the standings.

Angel City has only made the playoffs once before, in 2023. They lost 1-0 to Seattle Reign in the opening round that year. The team has earned more points away from home this season than at home. They have 28 road points compared to 21 at home.

Defender and captain Sarah Gorden said the team is proud of how it handled this season's challenges. She noted that difficult moments made the group closer and more motivated. Gorden said the team handled the second half of the season differently than in previous years. She also praised the energy and impact of the bench players. Gorden said the bench's willingness to sacrifice and perform when they enter the game is a key factor in their recent wins.

The match will be available on ESPN+. Angel City plays Boston in the regular season finale. The result of that game, along with the Kansas City result, will set the seeding for the upcoming playoffs.