With a position in the playoffs secured two weeks ago, all Angel City had to play for was a home game. Unfortunately for them, getting that home game required an L.A. victory and a Kansas City loss.

The Current failed to oblige. In fact, despite the hype of “Decision Day,” in which all 16 teams played simultaneously, trying to lock down a last playoff spot and home-field advantage, there was exactly no movement from last week. The only team in the top 8 to lose was Utah, and it wound up being of no consequence.

But from the drubbing that Angel City laid down, you would have thought that they were desperate to make up goal differential to sneak in. (Ironically, L.A. leads the league at 23.)

Nealy Martin was the first on the board, bouncing a shot off Boston’s Deja Davis for her first goal of the season.

Boston struck back in the 37th, with Amanda Gutierres scoring so casually that many literally missed it until it was announced over the P.A.

Despite Boston playing a strong offense, keeping Angel City from breaking out into the midfield and out-shooting them in the first half, ACFC kept hammering away, and it eventually paid off.

Evelyn Shores took a header in the 53rd which found the back of the net. A sliding Sveindís Jónsdóttir scored in the 72nd. Taylor Suarez nearly added a sixth to her rookie season, but was just a hair offside.

Claire Emslie subbed in in the 74th, then scored her first goal of the season in the 84th.

With the game well in hand, head coach Leif Smerud subbed Hannah Seabert in for Angelina Anderson as regulation was running out. Seabert, who this week announced her retirement at the end of the season, got her first minutes of 2026, picking up a save along the way.

Angel City has a chance to extract some revenge against Kansas City, as that’s who they’re playing in the quarter finals. Should L.A. win that game, they’ll face either NJ/NY Gotham or Seattle Reign. And if Reign upset Gotham, who officially won the Shield by 3 points today, that game will be held in Los Angeles.

If you really want to speculate, we could see an L.A. / San Diego Wave final, assuming both teams win out.

But ACFC’s got to beat the current first. They play on Saturday at noon eastern on CBS.

Article and Photos: Jim Sabo