HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, May 1, 2026) — Utah Royals FC (3-1-2, 10 pts) continues its two-match road stretch with a trip to the City of Angels to face Angel City FC (3-0-2, 9 pts) for the first time during the 2026 campaign on Saturday, May 2, at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. MT.
Utah enters Saturday’s contest following a historic 3-0 road victory over Seattle Reign FC at Lumen Field, the club’s first away win in Seattle since 2019 and the largest road victory in Utah Royals FC history during National Women’s Soccer League play. The Royals wasted no time finding the breakthrough, striking just 50 seconds into the match after Seattle misplayed a back pass along the back line. Japanese forward Mina Tanaka capitalized on the loose ball before laying it off to captain Paige Cronin, who fired her effort past the goalkeeper to give Utah an early 1-0 advantage and score her first goal of the 2026 campaign. The finish marked the fastest goal in club history, surpassing the previous record set by Cloé Lacasse in 2024, while also becoming the first goal scored by the Royals within the opening minute of play and the 14th-fastest goal in NWSL history.
Utah continued its explosive start in the seventh minute after earning a corner kick that pinballed around the penalty area before defender Kaleigh Riehl recovered possession and played the ball back to midfielder Narumi Miura just outside the 18-yard box. The Japanese midfielder struck the ball first-time, curling a powerful effort into the top-right corner beyond the reach of the Seattle goalkeeper to double Utah’s lead at 2-0. The finish marked Miura’s first goal of the 2026 campaign and her first goal for the Royals. The two-goal advantage became the fastest in club history, surpassing the previous mark set in September 2025, while also marking the first time Utah Royals FC scored twice within the opening 10 minutes of a match. Since the start of last season, the Royals have scored nine goals in the opening 10 minutes of matches, mroe than any other team in the NWSL in that time.
The Royals carried that momentum into first-half stoppage time when Midfielder Ana Tejada found Canadian attacker Cloé Lacasse making a dangerous run into the box. Lacasse met the pass first-time and blasted her finish past the goalkeeper to extend Utah’s lead to 3-0 before halftime. The three-goal first half marked just the fifth time in club history the Royals have scored three goals in the opening 45 minutes and the first since September 2025 against Racing Louisville FC. It also marked only the second time Utah has scored three first-half goals on the road, previously accomplishing the feat against the Washington Spirit in May 2025, while Sunday’s performance represented the second time in club history the Royals have scored three first-half goals against Seattle.
Head Coach Jimmy Coenraets and his squad now look to build on that historic performance after earning the largest road victory in Utah Royals FC history during National Women’s Soccer League play, securing all three points and a clean sheet against Seattle Reign FC. The result marked consecutive victories for the Royals and extended the club’s unbeaten streak to four matches. Utah now aims to carry that momentum into Los Angeles as it looks to extend its unbeaten run to five games while also securing consecutive road victories. Offensively, Mina Tanaka, Lara Prašnikar, and Tatumn Milazzo currently lead the club with two goals each during the 2026 campaign.
Now in his second full season at the helm, Head Coach Coenraets continues molding a balanced squad built on defensive discipline, midfield control, and attacking creativity. Saturday’s contest presents another opportunity for Utah to extend its unbeaten streak to five matches, secure a third consecutive victory, and collect another crucial three points away from home.
Angel City FC enters the matchup with a 3-0-2 record, most recently suffering a 2-1 home defeat against Portland Thorns FC, marking its second consecutive loss of the 2026 campaign. Led by Head Coach Alexander Straus, Angel City will look to respond by returning to winning form and securing all three points in front of its home crowd at BMO Stadium.
Saturday’s contest marks the seventh match of the 2026 NWSL regular season for the Royals and the sixth for Angel City FC, with both sides aiming to secure valuable early-season points and strengthen their position in the league standings.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
WATCH LIVE on ION with Michale Wottreng and Merritt Mathias :: Utah Royals FC vs. Angel City FC | BMO Stadium | 6:45 p.m. MT
OR
LISTEN via KSL Sports Radio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) starting at 6:15 p.m. MT
Following Saturday’s match in Los Angeles, Utah Royals FC will return to the Beehive State to host Houston Dash on Wednesday, May 6, at America First Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. MT, with tickets available for purchase here.
