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    Angel City FC defeats rival San Diego Wave FC for its first Challenge Cup victory
    • June 29, 2023

    Angel City FC forward Scarlett Camberos, right, chases the ball during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC defender Madison Hammond, right, celebrates with midfielder Savannah McCaskill after Hammond scored a goal during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. Angel City held on for a 2-1 win. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC defender M.A. Vignola, right, battles for the ball with San Diego Wave FC forward Amirah Ali during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC forward Scarlett Camberos, right, chases the ball down during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC midfielder Dani Weatherholt, left, heads the ball during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC midfielder Clarisse Le Bihan, right, is hit in the back by San Diego Wave FC Danielle Colaprico, back left, during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC defender Megan Reid, left, heads the ball during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC midfielder Clarisse Le Bihan celebrates after scoring a goal during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. Angel City held on for a 2-1 win, its first in the in-season tournament. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC defender Paige Nielsen, right, pushes off on San Diego Wave FC forward Melanie Barcenas during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC defender Paige Nielsen kicks the ball during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC forward Scarlett Camberos, center, moves the ball up the field during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC defender M.A. Vignola kicks the ball during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC midfielder Dani Weatherholt, center, vies for the ball against a San Diego Wave FC defender during the first half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC midfielder Dani Weatherholt kicks the ball during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC forward Katie Johnson, center, kicks the ball while defended by San Diego Wave FC defender Madison Pogarch, left, and defender Cheyenne Shorts during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC midfielder Mackenzie Pluck, front, moves the ball past San Diego Wave FC defender Cheyenne Shorts during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC midfielder Clarisse Le Bihan, right, controls the ball during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC defender Madison Hammond moves the ball up the field during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC defender Ali Riley, left, chases the ball during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC forward Katie Johnson, center, kicks the ball during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC forward Scarlett Camberos controls the ball during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC interim head coach Becki Tweed, center, looks on from the sideline during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC defender Megan Reid, top left, heads the ball against San Diego Wave FC defender Cheyenne Shorts during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC midfielder Lily Nabet, left, kicks the ball while defended by San Diego Wave FC forward Mackenzie Doniak during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    San Diego Wave FC head coach Casey Stoney, center, sits on a beverage cooler during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match against Angel City FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC midfielder Jasmyne Spencer, right, kicks the ball while chased by San Diego Wave FC defender Madison Pogarch during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC defender Elizabeth Eddy, front, gets past San Diego Wave FC defender Cheyenne Shorts during the second half of their NWSL Challenge Cup match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    A soccer fan raises his arms at the end of an NWSL Challenge Cup match between Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    Angel City FC interim head coach Becki Tweed takes the field prior to their NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    A member of the Highlight Pro Skydiving Team descends toward the field prior to an NWSL Challenge Cup match between Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

    A soccer supporter tries to fan smoke away from her during the first half of an NWSL Challenge Cup match between Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

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    LOS ANGELES — The Angel City Football Club got off to a quick start in Wednesday night’s UKG NWSL Challenge Cup match. Make that an extremely quick start.

    Madison Hammond opened the scoring with a second-minute goal against San Diego Wave FC, and Clarisse Le Bihan added a goal in the 18th minute for a two-goal halftime lead on their way to a 2-1 win in front of 13,648 at BMO Stadium.

    “We work a lot on set pieces. We have a saying scrappy equals happy and I thought back to the last game against them when Paige Nielsen scored and I thought what if it deflects,” Hammond said.

    The win also extends Angel City’s unbeaten streak to three matches – across league and Challenge Cup competition – since the firing of former coach Freya Coombe. It is also the second consecutive win this season for Angel City against its regional rival.

    With the win, Angel City now has four points in the West Division for the Challenge Cup. Angel City has two Challenge Cup matches remaining (July 29 at home against the Thorns and Aug. 5 at San Diego). The top team in each of the three four-team divisions, along with the highest-finishing (on points) second-place team will advance to the semifinals in September.

    “Coming out early was something that we were looking to do,” interim coach Becki Tweed said. “We’ve talked a lot about building our momentum from game to game and not letting any moment drop. The first two minutes showed that we wanted to continued with that momentum.”

    Seattle-based OL Reign is in control of the West, moving to 10 points with its 1-0 victory over Portland on Wednesday.

    The night wasn’t all easy for Angel City. San Diego cut the deficit in half on Danielle Colaprico’s goal in the 64th minute. It came at a time when Angel City was beginning to lose control of the match.

    “It was a tough night for us,” San Diego coach Casey Stoney said. “I take full responsibility for our poor performance in the first half. I don’t think I gave them the best chance to be successful.”

    Angel City could have increased its lead heading into halftime, but a shot by Hammond in the 38th minute hit the crossbar. Moments earlier, San Diego defender Mia Gyau came up with a goal-line clearance of a shot by Le Bihan that had got behind goalkeeper Shae Yanez and was headed toward the open net.

    In the second half, Angel City had another shot hit the crossbar – this time from Jasmyne Spencer in the 57th minute.

    Defenders Kelsey Hill and Elizabeth Eddy were both announced as new signings under the National Team Replacement Players provision. Eddy, who attended Newport Harbor High and USC, came on as a second-half substitute in the 65th minute. Hill, a Pepperdine alumnus, entered in the 77th minute.

    Angel City returns to league play on Sunday with a road match against NY/NJ Gotham FC.

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    ​ Orange County Register 

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