U.S. women's national soccer team forward and two-time World Cup champion Christen Press played her first match in more than two years on Thursday, appearing as a substitute in Angel City FC's penalty shootout victory over San Diego Wave FC.
Press entered in the 88th minute of Angel City's penalty shootout win in the NWSL x LIGA MX Women's Summer Cup match and was greeted with a standing ovation from the crowd at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, California. Press converted a penalty kick in the shootout after the teams went scoreless in regulation.
“It was a nostalgic feeling, for sure. When you get to play a football game, it's a miracle,” Press told CBS Sports Network after the game. “I was very excited and very nervous. I felt the love and support of this amazing football community that was here tonight.”
I couldn't have written it better.
Christen Press scores from the penalty spot in her first game back! image.twitter.com/KeIKo9QAbQ
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) August 2, 2024
Her last appearance was on June 11, 2022, when she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee in a National Women's Soccer League game. She has since undergone four knee surgeries. She missed the entire 2023 season, including the World Cup.
The 35-year-old Southern California native was Angel City's first signing as the team built its roster ahead of its 2022 NWSL expansion season. She has scored 50 goals in all competitions in 101 NWSL games.
Press was a member of the national team that won the World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and took home an Olympic bronze medal in 2021. He scored the opening goal in the 2019 World Cup semifinal win over England.
ESPN's Jeff Kassouf's reporting followed up on this report.
