U.S. star Press plays 1st game after 2 years out

Longtime United States women’s national soccer team forward and two-time World Cup winner Christen Press played her first game in more than two years on Thursday, appearing as a substitute in Angel City FC‘s shootout victory over San Diego Wave FC.

Press came on in the 88th minute of Angel City’s win on penalty kicks in the NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup match, and she was greeted with an 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 time.

“It was definitely a nostalgic feeling. When you get to play a soccer game, it’s a miracle,” Press told CBS Sports Network after the contest. “I was so excited, I was very nervous. I felt the love and support from this amazing soccer community that was here tonight.”

Couldn’t have written it any better.

Christen Press scores on a penalty in her first match back! pic.twitter.com/KeIKo9QAbQ

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 2, 2024

She last played on June 11, 2022, when she tore her right ACL in a National Women’s Soccer League match. She has undergone four knee surgeries since. She missed the entirety of 2023, including the World Cup.

The 35-year-old Southern California native was Angel City’s first signing as the team put together its roster ahead of its 2022 NWSL expansion season. She has scored 50 goals across 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. She scored the opening goal in the 2019 World Cup semifinal victory over England.

ESPN’s Jeff Kassouf contributed to this report.