LOS ANGELES – Paige Nielsen has called Angel City FC home for two seasons starting this season.
In April, Nielsen was traded to the Houston Dash.
Nielsen returned to BMO Stadium on Sunday, but on the other side of the field and in the visitors’ locker room. She received a loud ovation as if she was still in the dark from Angel City during the starting lineup introductions and in the final stages of the match she capped her emotional comeback with the winning goal.
Nielsen, from a corner, scored at the end of seven minutes of injury time to hand his former club Angel City a 1-0 defeat in front of 18,037 spectators at BMO Stadium.
“This place was really special to me,” Nielsen said. “The fans, the community, my own teammates and being here from the beginning, it was really tough, but coming back here I knew I really wanted to win this game.
“I even told my new team that they had to do everything to win this match. They did a really good job, one of our best games since I’ve been in Houston and I’m super proud of them and I’m very grateful to be the one to score at the end. Probably one of the best moments of my career.
Goal from Nielsen at the end of a difficult match for both teams. Houston was playing the second game in five games, but still managed to buckle down on the defensive end.
Nielsen joined Angel City (3-4-1, 10 points) in the expansion draft before the club’s first season. She made 20 appearances in the first season and 21 last season.
Nielsen said she had heard about a possible trade.
“It was very sudden,” she said. “I knew there were discussions the day before, and then I was brought into a meeting that Friday. The trade deadline window and basically he was told it was verbally agreed that the trade would happen. I wasn’t really prepared for this to happen mid-season, I wanted to stay with Angel City…I was going to become a free agent at the end of the year and I don’t know if Angel City could or would pay what else. the teams offered me. It’s a smart move on their part if they could actually get something for me before I became a free agent because I know Angel City had a lot of amazing defenders and they needed to restructure and rebuild and I’m flattered that teams wanted me for a trade.
Angel City FC had won three of its last four games on Sunday, but once again struggled offensively. Angel City won the possession battle, had 13 shots, but only three on target.
“Honestly, the moments at the end matter, but I think the 96 minutes before that are the most relevant part,” Angel City coach Becki Tweed said. “At the end of the day, the 96 minutes we had, we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. That last minute hurts and sometimes football is cruel, but the 96 minutes before that are a space where we need to improve.
“It was just one of those games where we didn’t create enough chances and weren’t dangerous enough in the final third. Apparently we had 13 shots and I don’t know where they came from. We had good moments of preparation, but it is not enough to win matches.
Angel City will be back in action Saturday on the road against the Washington Spirit. They will meet Nielsen and Dash in June, by then Nielsen should be settled in, with her dogs and her wife.
“I was really devastated (about the trade) for a while and I had to move forward and do my job with Houston,” she said. “I’m getting more and more excited, the girls are really great in Houston. I miss a lot of people here (in Angel City), but I’m looking forward to another adventure.
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