NWSL's Angel City fires coach Alex Straus, names assistant Leif Gunnar Smerud interim coach

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Angel City fired coach Alex Straus on Wednesday after a little more than a year on the job.

Angel City opened the season 4-6-1 and is in 12th place in the National Women's Soccer League standings. The NWSL is on a summer break for the men’s World Cup and resumes regular-season play on July 3.

Angel City assistant coach Leif Gunnar Smerud will lead the club in the interim while a search is conducted for a new head coach.

Straus, 50, was hired by Angel City in April 2025 after a stint with Bayern Munich's women.

“He guided one of the youngest rosters in NWSL history through a pivotal period of growth," Mark Parsons, Angel City's sporting director, said in a statement. "We are deeply grateful for Alex’s leadership and the progress made during his tenure, and we wish him nothing but success in his next chapter.”

Angel City also sent midfielder Kennedy Fuller to Bay FC on Wednesday for $520,000 in intra-league transfer fees and allocation funds.

“I am so grateful for my teammates who created such a great environment and took me under their wing. It has helped me be the best version of myself on and off the field," Fuller said in a statement released by the club.

The 19-year-old Fuller has two goals and two assists this season. She joined Angel City in 2024.

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