Angel City Defeats Chicago Stars

Angel City FC started their campaign with a 4-0 victory over the Chicago Stars. Angel City, who finished in 11th place with 27 points last season, displayed a strong offensive performance to overcome the Stars, who ended their previous season in 14th place with 20 points.

Narrow Shutout Victories

Several matches ended in 1-0 decisions, marked by defensive stands and crucial goals:

• The Houston Dash (10th place, 30 points last season) secured a road win against the San Diego Wave. The Wave (sixth place, 37 points) controlled possession but could not score, conceding just before halftime.
• Gotham FC (eighth place, 36 points last season) defeated the Boston Legacy, who could not find the net, in a physical encounter that featured a record number of yellow cards.
• The Portland Thorns (third place, 40 points last season) claimed a victory over the Washington Spirit (second place, 44 points) thanks to a goal from Olivia Moultrie.

Competitive 2-1 Finishes

The opening weekend also saw four matches conclude with a 2-1 scoreline, featuring historic moments:

• Seattle Reign vs. Orlando Pride: Seattle (fifth place, 39 points last season) won after a late goal from Brittany Ratcliffe. Orlando's overall performance was limited, though Barbra Banda scored their lone goal. The Pride finished fourth with 40 points last year.
• North Carolina Courage vs. Racing Louisville: Ashley Sanchez guided the Courage (ninth place, 35 points last season) to victory with a strong offensive display. Louisville (seventh place, 37 points) struggled to contain the North Carolina offense.
• Kansas City Current vs. Utah Royals: The Current took the win, though the Royals (12th place, 25 points last season) successfully scored their first-ever goal against Kansas City.
• Bay FC vs. Denver Summit: Bay FC (13th place, 20 points last season) conceded early but recovered to secure the win, while the Summit recorded the first goal in their club history.