LOS ANGELES — Time is running out on the season for the Angel City Football Club.
Which made Thursday night’s return home against the Washington Spirit, the first of a six-game stretch to close the regular season so important.
Angel City began the week in 11th place but three points behind the eighth and final playoff spot in the 14-team NWSL.
Angel City (6-9-6, 24 points) had a one-goal lead into the 70th minute, but Washington’s Croix Bethune spoiled the fun with a tying goal in the 74th, leaving the teams to settle for a 2-2 draw at BMO Stadium.
“I think we wanted to build on our last game at North Carolina and I think you could see in the first half, we were all over them and I think it was a lot better from us,” Angel City midfielder Nealy Martin said. “We’re just going to continue to build under Alex’s leadership.
“The second half, they (Washington) were dropping into double six (in the midfield) and we were having a little trouble.”
Angel City now sits two points behind eighth-place Racing Louisville (7-8-5) with five games remaining.
The first meeting this season between Angel City and Washington (on May 2) resulted in seven goals, with Angel City’s Riley Tiernan scoring the winner in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
Thursday’s rematch, had a back-and-forth feel from the early stages.
Second-place Washington (10-4-7, 34 points) got on the board early when Trinity Rodman knocked in a spilled save attempt off of her penalty kick in the 12th minute. Rodman earned the attempt after being fouled by Angel City defender Miyabi.
However, the lead didn’t last long. In the 14th minute, Evelyn Shores scored her first professional goal off of an assist by Gisele Thompson to even the score at 1-1.
In the 55th minute, Angel City took a 2-1 lead on an own goal by Washington defender Tara McKeown. Tiernan created the moment, shooting from the wing. McKeown got her foot on it, knocking it by her own goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury.
That’s where the score remained until Bethune struck.
Bethune, who was able to get inside of her defender, thumped home a powerful header to tie the score.
Angel City had a couple of half-chances later in the game. One that should have developed into something was Macey Hodge’s quick blast from 10 yards out that she was unable to get on target.
In the 94th minute, Anderson was pressed into action coming up with a diving save to preserve the draw. Anderson was credited with eight saves. The Spirit had 10 shots on goal, compared to only one for Angel City.
The teams had to play an extended 13 minutes for stoppage time in the first half for a video review check and an injury to Washington’s Deborah Abiodun.
Angel City’s next game is a Sept. 27 showdown at Louisville. Ninth-place North Carolina (6-7-7) has 25 points and Houston (6-9-5) has 23.
Angel City’s next home game is Oct. 6 against league-leading Kansas City (16-2-2, 50 points).
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