M.A. Vignola scored in the 88th minute as Angel City FC rallied for a 2-1 victory over the host San Diego Wave on Saturday afternoon.
Paige Nielsen also scored in the second half for Angel City (3-6-3, 12 points), which won for the first time since May 7. Angel City snapped a five-game winless streak (0-4-1).
Kristen McNabb scored for the Wave (6-4-2, 20 points), who were 3-1-2 over their previous six games.
This was Angel City’s first match since Freya Coombe was fired as coach on Thursday. Assistant Becki Tweed served as interim coach.
Angel City trailed 1-0 but received the tying goal from Nielsen in the 69th minute before Vignola’s second tally of the season.
The Wave gave the ball away in their own end. Angel City’s Scarlett Camberos passed the ball to Nielsen, who kicked a left-foot shot that deflected off the left hand of San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and into the net.
The Wave had a good opportunity to tie in the sixth and final minute of second-half stoppage time but Taylor Kornieck’s header went wide to the right.
McNabb ended the scoreless match in the 57th minute after Alex Morgan’s pass set her up.
McNabb approached the ball with momentum and ripped a left-footed blast into the right corner of the net despite DiDi Haracic’s frantic attempt to stop it. It was McNabb’s first goal of the season.
Angel City evened the score 12 minutes later off a corner kick. Clarisse Le Bihan sent a cross toward the net and the ball went to Nielsen, who sent a left-footed shot inside the near post for her first goal of the season.
Morgan departed in the 62nd minute. She missed San Diego’s previous game against Louisville due to a calf injury.
San Diego had a good chance in the 17th minute but Amirah Ali’s close-range shot was saved by Haracic.
Angel City’s best chance in the first half came in the 44th minute when Lily Nabet sent a long right-footed shot just wide right of the Wave net.
Sheridan made four saves and Haracic had three.
–Field Level Media