Bay FC needs to start stringing together some victories – and soon — if it has any hope of making the NWSL playoffs.
The road to the postseason got tougher on Monday night, as Bay FC allowed a go-ahead goal to Maiara Niehues in the 77th minute in a 2-1 loss to Angel City FC before an announced crowd of 14,971 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
On the play, Angel City’s Miyabi Moriya sent a corner kick into the center of the box that Niehues headed past the outstretched arms of diving Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz.
Riley Tiernan also scored for Angel City (6-7-5), which won its second straight after an eight-game winless streak.
Tiernan, a rookie, took a pass from M.A. Vignola and ran it downfield before cutting inside and dancing around Bay defenders before firing a shot past Silkowitz in the 12th minute.
It was Tiernan’s team-leading eighth goal. She moved into second for most goals ever by an NWSL rookie.
Bay (4-9-5) has now lost three straight matches and is winless in its last seven (0-5-2). Bay FC’s last win came on June 7 when it beat the Portland Thorns 1-0 at PayPal Park.
Monday, Rachel Hill had Bay’s lone goal as she scored on the rebound off her own shot on Angel City goalkeeper Hannah Seabert in the 37th minute.
The loss keeps Bay FC in 12th place in the NWSL standings with 17 points, leaving it seven points behind Gotham FC for the eighth and final playoff spot. Bay has eight matches remaining, starting with Saturday’s home game against the first-place Kansas City Current (15-2-1). Bay FC lost to Kansas City 4-1 on May 11.
The NWSL Championship will take place at PayPal Park on Nov. 22.
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