LOS ANGELES — The roof was ready to blow off BMO Stadium 15 minutes into Sunday’s Angel City FC opener. In more ways than one, a new era was on display for the National Women’s Soccer League.
Jun Endo just scored what appeared to be another stunning second goal for the home side —following up a golazo from 18-year-old No. 1 draft pick Alyssa Thompson in her NWSL debut — and it appeared that the rout was on for Angel City against quasi-rival NJ/NY Gotham FC, who finished a miserable 2022 season in last place.
Then, over a minute later, after most of the sellout crowd of 22,000 fans waved their pink team flags as Endo, easily identifiable by her pink hair, celebrated her 40-yard chip of an out-of-position goalkeeper, referee Elijio Arreguin jogged over to the video booth to review a potential foul. Arreguin emerged from the screen over a minute later and called off the goal for a what was determined to be a foul prior to the shot.
Six minutes after halftime, video review went against Angel City again, awarding Gotham a soft penalty kick that
