Photo Courtesy Angel City FC
Angel City FC’s defender Savy King made her long-awaited return to the pitch on Sunday at BMO Stadium, marking her first appearance since a terrifying collapse at the same venue 10 months prior.
King entered the match in the 63rd minute during Angel City’s offseason opener, receiving a heartfelt ovation from the home crowd as the team triumphed over the Chicago Stars with an impressive 4-0 victory.
Back in May 2025, King collapsed during a match, requiring approximately ten minutes of medical attention before being transported to a hospital. Subsequent tests revealed a heart abnormality, prompting surgery and sidelining her for the remainder of the 2025 season. Returning to the same field where it all happened was a significant milestone for the player.
Following the match, Angel City head coach Alex Straus shared that King had been gradually building her fitness during preseason. He emphasized the importance of taking a careful approach to her comeback, particularly considering the emotional weight of her return.
Despite expressing a desire to start the match, King played a pivotal role when she made a critical recovery run and sliding tackle in the 80th minute, preventing Chicago forward Jordyn Huitema from capitalizing on a potential scoring opportunity.
“She is the best human being you will ever meet,” stated teammate Kennedy Fuller, who contributed a goal and an assist in the win. “When everything happened, she came back determined to reclaim her spot on the pitch and delivered an impressive performance. We were overjoyed for her; I almost shed a tear.”
King’s alarming incident last year prompted the NWSL to reevaluate its emergency protocols regarding life-threatening situations on the field. Although the match had continued after her collapse, the league later acknowledged that this decision was misguided.
1 comment
It look amazing