Bay FC achieved a major milestone a year ago on March 17 when they beat Angel City FC in their 2024 inaugural match and earned their first win in Bay FC club history.
On that sunny Sunday in Los Angeles, Bay FC walked on to the pitch for the first time and walked off with a 1-0 win over Angel City in front of a boisterous 22,000 person crowd at BMO Stadium. The match was an exciting start to what’s already shaping up to be a fiery competition between the two local California clubs.
Bay FC’s inaugural match was more than a debut, it was the newest chapter in a long-standing sports rivalry between the Bay Area and Los Angeles. This battle runs deep and is fueled by a competitive city pride that spans multiple sports. Adding to the intensity, the Golden State Valkyries will take on the LA Sparks this Friday night, marking their first opportunity to represent the Bay in this historic showdown.
This weekend will be a defining moment in California sports. Make it a Bay vs. LA weekend and back the Bay!
Flashback to Bay FC’s Inaugural Match on March 17
It took a swift 17 minutes for Nigerian superstar Asisat Oshoala to put the NWSL on notice. After an insistent high press, midfielder Tess Boade picked off a pass from Angel City’s Mary Alice Vignola and quickly slid the ball to Oshoala. One step and one shot later, Oshoala’s rocket rattled off the crossbar and straight into the net.
🎥 Watch it again on Instagram.
Bay FC nearly doubled the lead in the 58th minute when Tess Boade crashed the box. Boade intercepted a pass, burst into a one-on-one with Angel City keeper Angelina Anderson, and fired a low shot. But Anderson came up big, cut the angle, and denied what looked like a sure goal.
Bay FC’s backline also stood tall late in the match, when Caprice Dydasco made a clutch stop in the 89th minute to preserve the clean sheet. Angel City’s forward dribbled quickly towards goal and sent a shot from inside the box. The ball took multiple deflections and slipped past the Bay FC goalkeeper, but defender Caprice Dydaso made a last-minute clearance right on the goal line.
Bay FC kept the tempo all match and racked up:
- 19 total shots
- 9 shots on goal
- 8 saves
On the other side, Angel City made the match difficult for Bay FC:
- 8 total shots
- 6 shots on goal
- 5 saves
Hear from Bay FC’s Head Coach Albertin Montoya in his recap of the 2024 inaugural match.
“Angel City was very dangerous in both halves and tested us in so many ways. But what I’m most proud of us the heart and passion [Bay FC] played with,” said Montoya. “First win as a franchise and they won it because they believed in themselves and had so much passion and a desire to come out on top.”
Although Bay FC’s inaugural match was played on away turf, Bay FC fans made Los Angeles feel like home.
Bay FC players need the same enthusiasm for their first 2025 NWSL match against Angel City! Grab your friends, rep your favorite Bay FC merch, and shout your loudest Bay FC chants.
🎬 Relive Bay FC’s inaugural match against Angel City below.
Upcoming Match: Bay FC vs. Angel City
Bay FC’s remarkable win over Angel City in 2024 set the stage, but the story doesn’t end there. The NorCal vs. SoCal rivalry reignites as Bay FC looks to defend their home turf at PayPal Park. Bay FC’s tenacity will be on full display when they push for another big win.
This upcoming match will also feature some of the NWSL’s top players.
Angel City FC:
- Alyssa Thompson: Alyssa Thompson has tallied four goals and two assists in the 2025 NWSL season and started every match to date. Alyssa was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.
- Gisele Thompson: Gisele Thompson has tallied two assists in the 2025 NWSL season and has started every match so far. Gisele scored her first NWSL goal, assisted by her older sister Alyssa. They went down in history as the first sisters to combine for a goal in the NWSL! Also, Gisele had 16 appearances in her 2024 rookie NWSL season and is a 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Bronze Medalist.
- Christen Press: After a two-year injury absence, Christen Press is set to face Bay FC for the first time. She has scored one goal in the 2025 NWSL season and brings international experience with 155 caps, 64 goals for the U.S., and two World Cup titles.
Bay FC:
- Penelope Hocking: Penelope Hocking has scored one goal in the 2025 NWSL season. She was selected seventh overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft and made 29 regular season appearances (26 starts) for Chicago across the 2023 and 2024 seasons before joining Bay FC.
- Caprice Dydasco: Caprice Dydasco has started every match in the 2025 NWSL season. She is a consistent presence on the back line and was named the 2021 NWSL Defender of the Year as well as a spot on the 2021 NWSL Best XI.
- Taylor Huff: Taylor Huff has started every match in the 2025 NWSL season as a rookie and looks dangerous in the midfield. Huff has been called into the U.S. women’s national team camps at the U-16, U-20 and now again at the U-23 level.
See you at PayPal Park
Bay FC’s inaugural match against Angel City set the tone and now the stakes are even higher. Bay FC remains undefeated against the Southern California rival, including another 1-0 win at PayPal Park in 2024. They are ready to defend their legacy and solidify the Bay as a frontrunner in the Bay vs. LA rivalry.
We’ll see you at PayPal Park to back the Bay on Saturday May 17 at 7:00 p.m.!
