NWSL expansion team Angel City FC recorded their first win in franchise history on Sunday after triumphing 1-0 over the Portland Thorns.

After going winless in the first five games of the Challenge Cup, the Los Angeles team concluded the tournament with a victory thanks to a first half penalty by Christen Press. 

“They had moments when they had more of the ball, but I thought we were organized defensively. We really limited their chances. Defensively, I thought that was a full 90-minute performance and obviously a clean sheet is huge. I think it will definitely boost the team’s confidence,” ACFC coach Freya Coombe said. 

“It’s something that we wanted to go into the season having a win and it was very much a big part of our team talk today in terms of gathering some momentum. I thought that we’ve developed well over the course of the Challenge Cup, but needed to turn that into a win to take us into that regular season game.”

The expansion team will now shift focus to the NWSL season as they look to make their debut on Friday against the North Carolina Courage at Banc of California Stadium, home to Major League Soccer side LAFC.

This will be the first time the two sides meet, after avoiding each other during the Challenge Cup.