CARY, N.C. — Christen Press said she had an “out-of-body experience” as she scored her first NWSL goal in 28 months in Angel City’s dramatic 1-1 draw with the North Carolina Courage on Saturday night at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Playing in her 100th career NWSL regular-season match, Press gave Angel City the lead in the 97th minute with her first goal since June 11, 2022 – the 48th regular-season goal of her career.
North Carolina’s Olivia Wingate answered with a stoppage-time goal of her own, scoring in the 100th minute as the Courage extended their home unbeaten streak to 21 matches and denied Angel City a chance to better improve its slim playoff hopes.
Press missed more than two years because of an ACL injury that required four surgeries. She injured her right knee in the second half of a June 2022 match against Racing Louisville having scored a goal in the first half.
The two-time Women’s World Cup champion, who has 64 goals in 155 appearances for the U.S. women’s national team, finally returned to the field for Angel City in August.
“Since I got injured, people were counting the days that I didn’t play soccer, and I was counting the days that I hadn’t scored. My true love is scoring,” Press said after her goal Saturday.
“It’s so funny these things that you want to do so badly because I couldn’t even tell you how the goal went. It felt like an out-of-body experience. I hope it is a quintessential Christen Press goal, and I will be really proud.
“I can’t wait to see what a 35-year-old, four-ACL surgery Christen Press looks like when she scores.”
Press, who starred at Stanford and the Chadwick School on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, drilled a left-footed shot to the left of North Carolina goalkeeper Casey Murphy for what looked like it would be a game-winning goal.
But moments later, the Courage won a scramble for the ball in the midfield and Denise O’Sullivan drilled a sharp pass up the field to Wingate. Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haracic came out in an attempt to cut off the angle, but Wingate easily struck a right-footed shot into the left corner of the net for her second goal of the season.
Angel City (7-12-5, 23 points) is in 10th place in the 14-team league, having recently been docked three points following an NWSL investigation that turned up salary cap violations. ACFC is five points out of the final playoff spot (eighth place) with two matches left (one home, one away).
The Courage (12-9-3, 39 points) are in fifth place.
#ad After an assist from @katiezelem—her first NWSL career assist— @ChristenPress fired in her 48th career NWSL Regular Season Goal, marking her first since 6/11/22. Together, they earned the @JohnnieWalkerUS Play of the Match for #NCvLA. pic.twitter.com/Z6pcKhC5ts
— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) October 13, 2024