ACFC Defender Gisele Thompson and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity Discuss Preparation Ahead of Road Match against Orlando Pride

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NWSL Angel City FC

ACFC Defender Gisele Thompson and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity Discuss Preparation Ahead of Road Match against Orlando Pride

April 22, 2025 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


LOS ANGELES - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) prepared for their upcoming road match against Orlando Pride at Inter&Co Stadium on Friday, April 25, airing nationally on Prime Video (5:00 pm PT kickoff). Defender Gisele Thompson and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity were made available to press today to discuss the match.

Please find quotes from defender Gisele Thompson and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity below.

ACFC Defender Gisele Thompson

On preparing to face Orlando:

"All the teams that we're playing are really good. We're just sticking to our game plan and focusing on ourselves. We know every team is going to be different. They're all amazing teams, so we're focusing on who Angel City is and building off of that."

On the team's focus after their recent loss to the Gotham:

"It's been a lot. It's hard to lose, especially by that many goals. We're just trying to move on from it and focus on the next one. It's the beginning of the season and we're still trying to build that chemistry on and off the field. We're going one day at a time.

"Our focus is on this game, which is really important. We are walking that [performance against Gotham] out of our head and focusing on the next game."

On the difference between playing two positions and the preparation behind it:

"In my opinion with playing both positions, I think the outside back position is a little bit harder with going from offense to defense. When you're a forward, you don't have to defend as much, but obviously it's still a hard position."

ACFC Interim Head Coach Sam Laity

On the upcoming match against Orlando:

"It's a perfect game for us. I would want us to play an opponent like Orlando after the performance that we had against Gotham. That match really wasn't a representation of who we've been this season. It's a great opportunity for us.

"They're a very mature team. Seb [Hines] is doing a brilliant job there. They've done a great job on the recruitment side of things and have a lot of stability at the club. They've been there for four years, so that team and that club is a lot more mature perhaps than we are right now.

"It'll be a really good opportunity for us to see where we're at. We will certainly be causing them problems if we turn up and do the things that we've done over the course of the five games. They're a threat, they've got threats, they've got concerns, but I'm pretty sure they'll be worried about us as well."

On the coaching staff's five game performance review after the Gotham match:

"Different opponents create different problems and opportunities for us to solve. One of the things we did after this last game was a five game performance review. It wasn't just a reaction to the Gotham game, but showed things that we've done really well over the course of the five games.

"There were some of those things against Gotham, including some of the things that we've done really well and then other areas of the game that we want to see some changes, as well as changes to the outcome.

"It was actually really sort of cathartic, and perfectly timed. It would be easy to be down and thinking about the result, as opposed to the performance. We focus exclusively on the performances, especially in my role as the interim head coach.

"We want to win, and there's a demand and a need to win games. However, my job is to prepare the team [for now] and for when the new head coach comes in, and that's where our focus is. Analyzing the performance over the last five games was a really positive way for us to put the Gotham game in the rear view mirror and start looking forward to Orlando."

On the team's strengths and where they also need to improve:

"Statistically, we're the number one team in the league with the defensive turnovers and regains. When winning the ball in the opponent's half, we're number one in the league from a statistical perspective. We're number one in the league from chances created in transition, so those are two areas of strength for us.

"Us getting our shape right is really important. We didn't do that against Gotham, as far as our defensive shape, our intensity, and reading the correct triggers on when to press and when to hold. Also, what we do in transition, building out from that defensive shape.

"Statistically, what we've seen over the first five games is that's an area that we are very strong in. I do think that we've got plenty of room to grow in that area. There's other areas of the game that we know, in both boxes, where we have to improve. It's a really positive thing for us, but still not where we want to be."

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