For the first time since suffering a cardiac incident last May,Angel Citydefender Savy King returned to NWSL game action Sunday night, March 15, in Los Angeles.
King entered the game against Chicago Stars FC in the 63rd minute to a warm ovation from the crowd − and even from some of the opposing players on the pitch.
Kingcollapsed during a May 9 game against the Utah Royalsandunderwent open-heart surgeryfour days later for what the team called "a heart abnormality."
The 21-year-old graduated from cardiac rehab at Cedars Sinai last summer andreturned to full team training in January.
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Angel City scored a pair of goals with her in the lineup and went on to a 4-0 win over Chicago.
"I was super nervous, honestly. But when I got on the pitch I was thinking, 'I've been here before and I'm ready for this,'"King said afterward. "The last 10 months have been crazy for me. A lot of hard work. A lot of perseverance. A lot of blood, sweat and tears that people didn't see. But I felt as ready as I would ever be in that moment, and I didn't want to let that fear and me being afraid to play again stop me from what I wanted to do."
2024: Orlando Pride (defeated Washington Spirit in the 2024 NWSL Championship game)" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2013: Portland Thorns FC (defeated Western New York Flash in the championship game)" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> NWSL champions through the years
King was the second overall pick in the 2024 NWSL draft by Bay FC. After spending her rookie season there, King was traded to her hometown club Angel City in the offseason. She started every game for Angel City last year prior to her heart issue.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Savy King makes emotional NWSL return after 2025 cardiac incident
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