Turning the “Paige” After ACFC Trades Paige Nielsen to Houston Dash

In a move that many are calling “poetic justice” and what Paige Nielsen called one of “the best moments of her career,” Nielsen scored the game-winning goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time for Houston Dash against her former team, the Angel City Football Club (ACFC) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Her fans in Los Angeles cheered, despite losing the game, calling it “well-deserved,” “front office karma, and “sweet revenge.”

The goal came after the move that shocked Los Angeles and NWSL fans. ACFC announced on April 20 that it would trade defender and fan favorite Paige Nielsen to the Houston Dash for $50,000 in allocation money and $50,000 in transfer funds. 

News of the trade spread throughout the Los Angeles fan base, filling ACFC’s Instagram page with sad and angry comments from fans who were left confused by the trade, given Nielsen’s popularity on and off the field and her strength as a starting defender, part of a dynamic defense in Nielsen and Sarah Gorden. 

“These moves are a key component of our strategy to continue to build for the immediate and future. While decisions like these are never easy, these movements do enable us to make impactful additions to our roster in the coming months,” said ACFC General Manager Angela Hucles Mangano in a press release announcing the trade.

But the decision left fans criticizing the club’s leadership, calling it “horrendous,” “a poor managerial decision,” “gut-wrenching,” and the “worst mistake [ACFC] ever made,” according to Instagram comments.

Nielsen’s sister, trainer and nutritionist Sierra Nielsen, commented on Instagram, saying she felt devastated, her sister did not want this decision, and that she loves ACFC.

Some of the fans’ reactions resulted from feeling misled about the club’s former no-trade policy, which stated that they would not trade players without their consent. This move represents a stark culture change and signals to the league that they are moving into a new era of strategy and leadership.

There is also a question of sending one of the club’s only Queer players to Texas against their will at a time when anti-LGBTQ+ incidents are on the rise in the state. Do player safety and mental health come into consideration when considering trades? 

Nielsen, however, has shown tremendous positivity amidst the move, writing on Instagram that she felt “blessed to have had such a great experience at Angel City.”

Houston fans have acknowledged ACFC’s tough decision but have shown their support and excitement in Nielsen’s move to the Dash, welcoming her to the state and wishing her luck. “We are so lucky and glad to have you. Sorry that it wasn’t done right or by your volition,” one Instagram comment wrote.

Nielsen is also taking this new opportunity to help unify the Dash, a team plagued with significant management and coach turnover in the past few years. “These girls have been through a lot,” Nielsen said. 

When asked why she ran straight to the bench after scoring the game-winning goal against ACFC? “I really want to bring this togetherness in the team…I just wanted to bring everyone together in that moment.”

Featured image via @paigenielsen on Instagram

Author’s Note: McAleese is an ACFC season ticket holder.

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