Maiara Niehues came off the bench and delivered a moment of magic to give Angel City FC a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit on September 26, 2026, at Audi Field.
Niehues entered the match in the 86th minute, replacing Ally Sentnor. Two minutes later, she collected a pass from Carina Lageyre and fired a strike from outside the box into the top-right corner, ending 87 scoreless minutes in heavy rain.
The goal was Niehues’ ninth of the season, moving her into sole possession of Angel City’s single-season scoring record. She called it a mark she never imagined, saying she was thrilled to help in such an important game.
The win moved Angel City into fourth place in the NWSL standings and extended their unbeaten run to six matches. It was also the club’s third straight victory.
Interim head coach Leif Smerud praised Niehues’ impact, saying the team needed quality in a tight match and she delivered. Captain Sarah Gorden anchored a defense that protected Angelina Anderson’s ninth clean sheet of the season on a night when both teams struggled with the wet conditions.