First takeaways from Angel City FC's resounding win at Gotham FC

Just 31 minutes. That’s all it took for Angel City to score three times and bury Gotham FC in what finished as a 3-1 win for the visitors. 

After rueing a May defeat in which they outshot the Goths 23-7 in a 1-0 loss, Angel City FC were much more efficient the second time around.  Gotham owned the opening ten minutes, but as soon as Angel City got a foothold, they didn’t let up until this contest was all but over. 

It was an attacking avalanche from a team not known to produce them, and Angel City significantly eroded the gap in their playoff chase as a result. 

Here's three takeaways from the vital result.

McCaSKILL

When Christen Press went down, we were naturally left to question where the goals would come from for this Angel City team. 

The addition of Sydney Leroux and Claire Emslie were the club’s best attempts at an answer, and only time can provide us that long-term verdict. But Angel City need goals now, and for that, they’ve turned to Savannah McCaskill.

Operating as a free-moving No. 10 and making dangerous, late-arriving runs, McCaskill has blown past her previous career-high of three goals. But on Sunday, she was the one pulling the strings for her sixth. 

McCaskill received the ball just outside the box on the left and sized up McCall Zerboni. A nutmeg froze Zerboni as McCaskill navigated along the byline before smashing one past the 'keeper at the near post. 

If McCaskill can prove herself to be a threat with the ball at her feet, it will open up even more attacking possibilities for a side desperate to find them. 

Cari Roccaro: goal scorer?

Before the start of the 2022 season, Cari Roccaro had never scored a goal in her professional career. Even as the calendar turned to July this season, she had not broken thorugh. 

Then came three goals in four games, and in the 25th minute Sunday, it became four in five. 

Simone Charley dribbled by three Gotham defenders in the box before slipping a pass that trickled toward the penalty spot. Roccaro was the first to it, and she slotted it home to double Angel City’s advantage. 

“It isn’t like I just learned how to kick the ball all of the sudden,” said Roccaro ahead of this weekend’s contest. She credited Coombe with the “belief” and “confidence” to insert herself in games, and ultimately, score some goals.  

It’s also a stylistic development we’ve seen throughout the season, with Coombe encouraging her midfield group to drift forward into dangerous areas. And with Charley and Emslie’s brilliant performance out wide, we got to see its ultimate realization. 

Hollywood swingin'

It may have been more than 2,500 miles away, but the club from Hollywood finally put on a show worthy of the place they call home.

31 minutes in – already ahead by a pair – Claire Emslie took center stage. Driving forward down the right, she cut back on her left at the top of the box and curled a perfect shot past Betos at the near post. 

It was just the second time this season Angel City scored at least three, and took them just one half hour to do so. With that 3-0 scoreline holding as well, it was also the visitors' first multi-goal league victory in club history. 

Coombe said she felt her side “dominated” their first meeting back in May –  a 1-0 loss at the Banc – and there was certainly some lingering “frustration” at their inability to find a breakthrough. 

Angel City left no doubt tonight, and a quick refresh of the table reveals their reward. Just four points now separate them from Houston in second, and this evening proved Coombe’s team is capable of the free-flowing soccer required to close that gap. 

Oh, and Angel City have at least a match in hand on everyone ahead of them …