Rivals Angel City and San Diego draw 1-1 in 2025 Opener
- Best of Se7en Co
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 18
Angel City FC and the San Diego Wave kicked off the 2025 NWSL season with a 1-1 draw. In the league’s lone Sunday matchup, Alyssa Thompson and Gia Corley delivered the goals that secured their respective teams a point in a battle of California rivals.
San Diego wasted no time making an impact, striking early in the fourth minute. Delphine Cascarino sliced through the Angel City defense and delivered a pinpoint pass to Gia Corley, who shot the ball into the back of the net. The goal marked a dream debut for Corley, who joined the Wave in the offseason as part of a roster overhaul following significant departures.
Despite a hectic offseason, San Diego showed resilience in its season opener. The Wave had to adjust after losing three key stars, Alex Morgan (retirement), Jaedyn Shaw (traded to NC Courage), and Naomi Girma (transferred to Chelsea). However, the club made key acquisitions in Corley, Trinity Armstrong, Adriana Leon, and Kenza Dali, all of whom made their debut Sunday. Corley’s early goal was an encouraging sign that San Diego’s new-look squad can compete at a high level.
Angel City, however, refused to back down. They launched several attacking threats throughout the first half, only to be denied repeatedly by San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who delivered a stellar performance between the posts.
In the 53rd minute, Angel City finally broke through. Kennedy Fuller delivered a precise long ball to Alyssa Thompson. The forward controlled it, dribbled past a defender, and rifled a shot into the back of the net. The goal was not only an equalizer in the game, but also marked Thompson’s 10th career NWSL regular-season goal, tying her for the most in Angel City’s history. Fuller notched the first assist of her professional career on the goal.
The remainder of the match featured intense back-and-forth play, with both defenses stepping up to thwart potential game-winners. Each side had opportunities, but neither could find a winning goal. In the end, the season opener concluded in a hard-fought 1-1 draw, leaving both teams with reasons for optimism and areas to refine as they move forward.
Angel City heads to Portland next with both teams looking to get their first wins of the season. San Diego will have their home opener against Utah next.