Denver Summit FC battled through a dramatic second half to earn a point on the road, playing Angel City FC to a 3-3 draw at BMO Stadium in the first meeting between the two clubs.
The match remained scoreless for nearly the entire opening half before Angel City finally broke through in the 45th minute. Maiara Niehues struck from outside the box, sending the hosts into halftime with a 1-0 advantage.
Denver responded almost immediately after the restart.
Rookie Yuzuki Yamamoto continued her impressive run of form by scoring her third consecutive match, finishing a Melissa Kössler assist in the 48th minute. Kössler has now recorded a goal contribution in three straight matches.
Just 59 seconds later, Denver had the lead.
Yazmeen Ryan’s attempt struck the crossbar and fell into the path of captain Lindsey Heaps, who converted for her first NWSL goal since October 18, 2021. The two goals established a league record for the fastest back-to-back goals scored by teammates.
Denver wasn’t finished.
Janine Sonis struck in the 61st minute off a well-placed pass from Delanie Sheehan, giving the Summit a 3-1 advantage. It was Sonis’ 10th goal of the season, making her the eighth NWSL player to reach double digits this year.
But Angel City answered just as quickly.
Substitute Prisca Chilufya scored moments after entering the match in the 63rd minute, cutting Denver’s advantage to 3-2. Ally Sentnor then converted a penalty in the 74th minute to complete the comeback and produce the eventual 3-3 final.
Denver goalkeeper Abby Smith made three saves in her return after missing three matches with a knee injury. Defender Meg Reid also played all 90 minutes against her former club, where she spent the 2022-25 seasons.
The draw moves Denver to 8-8-7 with 31 points, while Angel City sits at 9-8-6 with 33 points.
The match also carried league-wide significance, pushing NWSL attendance beyond two million fans for the season, just the second time the league has reached that mark after first doing so in 2024.
