Angel City FC defender Ali Riley, right, kicks the ball past a Racing Louisville FC defender during the second half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The match ended in tie 2-2. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC midfielder Katie Johnson, right, dribbles the ball against Racing Louisville FC during the second half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The match ended in tie 2-2. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC team members surround teammate midfielder Savannah McCaskill after she scores a goal against Racing Louisville FC during the second half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The match ended in tie 2-2. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC forward Claire Emslie, left, kicks the ball against Racing Louisville FC during the first half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC defender Ali Riley heads the ball against Racing Louisville FC during the second half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The match ended in tie 2-2. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC defender Ali Riley, center, celebrates after teammate midfielder Savannah McCaskill, not pictured, scores a goal during the second half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The match ended in tie 2-2. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC forward Jun Endo controls the ball against Racing Louisville FC during the first half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC midfielder Savannah McCaskill, left, dribbles the ball defended by Racing Louisville FC defender Abby Erceg, right, during the first half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC forward Alyssa Thompson dribbles the ball against Racing Louisville FC during the second half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The match ended in tie 2-2. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC defender Megan Reid, left, headers the ball defended by Racing Louisville FC forward Kirsten Davis, right, during the first half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC midfielder Katie Johnson (33) dribbles the ball against a Racing Louisville FC defender during the first half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC forward Alyssa Thompson, right, controls the ball defended by Racing Louisville FC midfielder Lauren Milliet, left, during the second half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The match ended in tie 2-2. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC midfielder Katie Johnson, center, celebrates with teammates after she scores a goal against Racing Louisville FC during the second half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The match ended in tie 2-2. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Angel City FC midfielder Katie Johnson, third from right, scores a goal against Racing Louisville FC during the second half of NWSL match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The match ended in tie 2-2. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer).
LOS ANGELES — After trailing by two goals at halftime, the Angel City Football Club found a response that led to a draw Saturday against Racing Louisville FC.
The game changed after the 60th minute mark as Angel City (1-1-1, four points) sent on Madison Hammond, Ali Riley and Alyssa Thompson as substitutes. The moves finally paid off in the 68th minute as Angel City got on the board as Katie Johnson knocked home a free kick from Savannah McCaskill.
In the 88th minute, Thompson set up the tying goal as she hit a cross that was mis-hit by a Louisville player and fell to McCaskill, who hit a falling, side-volley with her right to tie the game at 2-2 and that’s where it ended at BMO Stadium in front of 18,007.
“We definitely showed the grit our team has, and that we will fight to the end,” Johnson said. “We never gave up. That’s a really important characteristic and value to have for a team that we can build off of.”
A chance at stealing the three points nearly materialized minutes later as Thompson got a break of space, cut back and fired a shot that hit the post from inside the six-yard box.
“Obviously in the first half, you never want to give up a PK that early and we also let the game get way too stretched,” McCaskill said. “We wanted to keep the ball and we wanted to stay compact and we came out on the back foot.
Former UCI star leaves Club America due to safety concerns, joins Angel City FC
“Going into the second half, we just spoke to each other and said it had to be better. From an individual standpoint, from a collective standpoint, it had to be better on and off the ball and I think that’s what she showed in the second half. It was a collective effort from the players that started the second half to the gamechangers that came on, it was a huge team effort to be able to come back and get a result.”
Bellflower native Savannah DeMelo got Racing Louisville on the board early, drawing and converting a penalty kick for 1-0 lead in the third minute.
In the 32nd minute, DeMelo turned playmaker and set up Kirsten Davis who fired from atop the 18-yard box and the ball eluded a diving DiDi Haracic to settle into the goal.
Racing Louisville nearly had a third before halftime, but a DeMelo shot was saved, allowing Angel City to head into halftime and regrouped.
“We are the home team and we had to show we were the home team,” Angel City coach Freya Coombe said. “We had to show that energy.”
The game kicks off a busy stretch for Angel City that will see the club playing three games in nine days. Fortunately, all three games are at home, continuing Wednesday against San Diego Wave FC in the first game of the Challenge Cup.
The teams met twice last season, splitting the games. Angel City won the meeting in Louisville 3-2 in June and Racing Louisville defeated Angel City 3-1 in September, a result that knocked ACFC out of playoff contention.
