Angel City FC returned from the international window in sixth place with 43 points, and Ary Borges believes they are in a good spot to secure a playoff place. With three matches left in the NWSL regular season, the standings are now the clearest measure of how far the club has come in a season that has already set new records.
The numbers tell the story. Angel City FC have reached 12-8-7 and 43 points, while their previous best before this season was 31 points in 2023, the year they qualified for the playoffs for the only time. They have already broken club records for wins, points and goals, and they are still chasing a second playoff qualification in the final stretch.
Borges: the team is in a good spot
Borges said the target was simple from the start: “To make the playoffs was the goal of this team this season.” She added that the team has been producing strong results after the summer break, pointing to the run of form that has lifted Angel City FC into position.
Her view is backed up by the return from the summer break, when Angel City FC collected 30 points in 16 games. Borges said the side has been “one of the best teams in the league in getting points, getting points at home or away,” and pointed to the fact that the club is “breaking records in points, goals” as evidence that the team is moving in the right direction.
Why the standings matter now
This is not just about the table in isolation. Angel City FC are trying to hold or improve their place over the final three matches, and Denver Summit FC is the only one of those remaining opponents still in contention for a playoff spot. That makes the upcoming meeting a direct standings test as much as a football match.
Denver Summit FC returned in 10th place with 38 points, which keeps the pressure on both sides. Angel City FC have a four-point cushion on that opponent, but with the season reaching its decisive phase, every result now shapes the final picture.
Smerud sees belief growing
Leif Smerud has also pointed to the way confidence has developed across the season. He said Angel City FC began the summer with three straight wins, including a victory over San Diego when they were top of the league, before a loss to Louisville checked the momentum.
Even so, Smerud said there were signs of belief building through a difficult run of fixtures against Kansas City, Washington and New York. His view was that the confidence “has been growing,” and that it has “been there to a certain extent the whole way.”
That is the wider picture behind the standings. Angel City FC are not just in the mix; they have earned their place there. Now the challenge is to turn a strong position into a confirmed playoff spot before the regular season ends on Oct. 24 and Nov. 1.
