Angel City FC’s Christen Press ‘back from the dead’ and feeling like herself

Christen Press’ comeback hit another milestone last week as she scored her first goal since returning from injury.

“It felt like an out-of-body experience,” she said after the game. “I’ll go back and watch it and I hope that it is a good goal and I hope that I’m proud of it and I hope I’m gonna be like, ‘That’s a quintessential Christen Press goal.’

“I’ve been rewatching my old goals all the way back to 2012 and I can see how my goal scoring has changed over time. I wanted to figure out who I am going to be now since returning from injury and still making my way back. I can’t wait to see what 35-year-old, four-ACL-surgery Christen Press looks like when she scores a goal.”

The goal was her first since June 11, 2022, the same night where she suffered the ACL injury that slowed her career.

“It’s too funny because since I got injured, people were counting the amount of days I didn’t play soccer,” she said. “But I was counting the amount of days I had not scored because my true love is scoring.”

Press’ appearance last Saturday (26 official minutes) was her longest this season. She had a season-high three shots, two shots on goal and 16 touches.

“The reality is I’ve come back and I feel like myself,” she said on ESPN’s Futbol W. “I’m in no pain, my body’s capable of doing all the things that I wanted to do and I’m in a totally different reality. But I do feel in a sense that I have come back from the dead because I had emotionally processed this idea that I might not be able to play in the way that I want to ever again.

“And now I’m trying to reprocess the fact that I’m alive and well and hopefully have years ahead of me in my career.”

Angel City has been extremely cautious with Press since she returned to play. When asked if there could be an extended period of action for Press, as soon as Sunday, coach Becki Tweed said the team will remain cautious.

“We have to be mindful that she was out for two years and has had four surgeries,” Tweed said. “We need to put her in the best position to succeed.

“She is working back through some of those moments and the fitness piece as well, not the cardiovascular fitness, but the linking of every part of it together. The muscle memory, the fitness, the technical, there is no doubt in her qualities. It is just about getting her back to a space where her body and mind is safe to continue to grow and there isn’t a rush in doing that.”

UTAH ROYALS at ANGEL CITY FC

When: 4:30 p.m. Sunday

Where: BMO Stadium

How to watch: Bally Sports SoCal; Paramount+