Riley Tiernan lifts Angel City FC to first win of season

LOS ANGELES —  Soccer has moved fast for Riley Tiernan in a few months.

The Rutgers grad joined Angel City FC as a non-roster invitee to training camp. She turned that into a two-year contract and a starting spot at forward so far for the first three games of the season.

Sunday, she added game-winning goal scorer to her early professional chapter, leading the way to a 2-1 win over the Seattle Reign in front of 15,384 at BMO Stadium. The win was the first for Angel City this season and leaves the club as one of three unbeaten teams remaining (1-0-2) after three weeks of the season.

“At first it was definitely intimidating,” Tiernan said of joining Angel City. “Once I got here, I knew I had to show how much I can do every day in practice, in training every day was a tryout, so I just put my best foot forward and did what I can do and I got the spot.”

Tiernan also found the spot rising to head in a cross from Claire Emslie in the 63rd minute to snap a 1-1 tie.

“That was a dream come true, honestly,” she said. “We talked a lot in training about getting in the box and winning those first and second balls and I think we did that really well today. I know that when Claire gets the ball, she’s playing it into the box and right place, right time, connected to my head.”

Tiernan joined training camp before interim coach Sam Laity was brought in. He credited the staff for bringing her in and noticed how she was always making plays in training.

“They did an amazing job of scouting the type of person that the club wanted and profile,” he said. “She just kept turning up in training. Every single day. Every time we were reflecting on training sessions and showing video clips for the players, she was in all the clips. She got stronger and stronger. Top performance for her. She started slow in the game, played her self into the game and great header.”

Angel City opened the season with consecutive 1-1 draws, first against San Diego Wave FC in the opener (March 16) and last Friday on the road against the Portland Thorns.

“Today we put a lot of really good things together,” Laity said. “The first half performance, we played a little bit quicker and cleaner. I think we should have scored a few more goals. Really, really positive performance from the group.”

Angel City entered the game with limited success against Seattle, winning just two of the previous 11 meetings, with one ending in a draw. The teams will meet again Friday, Aug. 1, in Seattle.

The first meeting of 2025 opened in fine fashion with Alyssa Thompson scoring, off of an assist from Kennedy Fuller, in the eighth minute.

“I’ve been working on my relationship with Alyssa,” Fuller said. “She has an eye for the goal …My job as a 10 is to figure out how I can be the most dangerous and if Alyssa is in the right spot, Alyssa is in the right spot and I’m going to play that ball. She’s been in the right spot a bunch of times.”

However, Angel City’s lead was short-lived. Moments later, the Reign was awarded a penalty kick, which Ji So-Yun converted, tying the game at 1-1.

“An actually horrific penalty given against us,” Laity said. “Normally coaches only complain about that when you lose the game, but that was one of the worst decisions I’ve seen in the league.

“Goals change games, it changes momentum, they change the flow. The players reacted to that goal and that decision very positively and grew strong from it. Really, really proud of their psychological performance after conceding that goal.”

Angel City is off next week for the international break. The club returns to action April 12 on the road against the Houston Dash.