San Diego Wave lose 2-1 battle against Orlando Pride
Photo credit: San Diego Wave FC
San Diego Wave lost their first match of the 2025 season in a 2-1 battle against the reigning NWSL shield-winners and champions Orlando Pride.
Neither team scored in the first half, but the Wave won the possession battle and imposed their style of play on the opposition with a high press that prevented Orlando from making the game too transitional which would create better scoring opportunities.
The Wave maintained a strong defense in the run of play, but ultimately conceded a goal to start the second half during a corner kick.
The service went toward the back post which was touched lightly forward by the Orlando star Barbra Banda. The ball deflected off Kennedy Wesley toward the near post and got tapped in by Haley McCutcheon to take the lead.
“I think against a team like that, I think you need to punish them when you get the momentum, and we didn’t do that and then we conceded on one mistake,” said Wave midfielder Kenza Dali. “That's why when they're not on a good day they know how to win and this is what good team’s do, but I’m so proud of the way we played, we gave everything and I think we were the better team today.”
The Wave stayed in it and head coach Jonas Eidevall made his typical substitutions around the 60th minute to bring more life to the offense. This time he brought on 19-year-old forward, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu for her NWSL debut who came on quick with a great touch on the ball in the midfield to avoid a defender before eventually scoring an equalizer.
Midfielder Kenza Dali sent a cross into the penalty area while Okwuchukwu waited patiently onside to head in making it 1-1 after less than two minutes on the field.
Later on Orlando was awarded a penalty in the 70th minute. Banda made a pass inside the box and Delphine Cascarino came in late with a tackle that left Banda with nowhere to land. After an extended VAR check the penalty was confirmed and taken by legendary Brazilian forward Marta.
Marta took the runup with a slight hesitation before missing her penalty after striking the ball into the right post, but Hanna Lundkvist was in the box and cleared the ball. Play continued for a few minutes but the referee stopped play because of the encroachment by Lundkvist who clearly entered the 18-yard box before Marta took the kick.
This time Marta shot a panenka that bounced off the top post into the back of the net for the final score of 2-1.
“There are positives, there’s signs of progression in the way that we play and we need to take them with us and be a little bit irritated that we didn’t get any points with us today and turn that irritation and frustration into positive energy into developing us forward,” said Eidevall.
There will be no Wave match this week as the FIFA international window begins sending many players with their respective national team. Their next match will be at home on April 12, where they take on the Kansas City Current.
San diego fc vs los angeles fc match preview
San Diego FC will be playing at home once again, this time against LAFC. This matchup is bound to become a huge rivalry in MLS, as both teams share a similar history in how they became expansion clubs. Notably, SDFC CEO Tom Penn was also the first CEO in LAFC’s history.
San Diego is coming off their first-ever loss against Austin FC—a match in which they were missing key players such as Aníbal Godoy and Paddy McNair.
Now, with those players back, San Diego also has Hirving Lozano available on the bench as he returns from a hamstring injury. If Lozano gets playing time, it will likely be limited. I anticipate him coming on around the 60th or 70th minute.
This is shaping up to be an exciting matchup with plenty of back-and-forth action. I predict a 2-2 draw, making it three straight home games in which San Diego FC fails to secure a win. However, the positives will be that Lozano is finally back on the field, the team remains undefeated at home, and they can hold their own against top MLS teams.
Anders Dreyer needs to step up in this match. For San Diego FC to be successful, their best player must be more clinical in front of goal. Dreyer had several chances against Austin FC but failed to convert. His finishing will be a key factor against LAFC.
This match has all the ingredients to be one of the weekend’s standout games in MLS. Everyone loves a San Diego vs. Los Angeles rivalry, and LAFC fans will certainly make their presence known on Saturday night. One lingering question, especially if LAFC dominates, is whether fans will resort to the infamous chant in moments of frustration.
Another interesting aspect will be the attendance. The Padres play the same day at 4:15 PM, while SDFC kicks off at 7:30 PM. It will be intriguing to see if this scheduling conflict impacts the crowd size.
Predicted Starting XI
defense
CJ Dos Santos
Dos Santos remains the No. 1 goalkeeper, and despite last week’s 2-1 loss, he delivered an outstanding performance. He gets the start.
Willy Kumado
Kumado has earned the starting spot over Jasper Löffelsend, and rightfully so. His presence in the attack is impressive, and his precise crosses create plenty of chances.
Chris McVey
McVey continues as a starter in the absence of Andrés Reyes. He has proven to be a leader, though he performs better alongside McNair.
Paddy McNair
The heart of San Diego’s backline returns from international duty with Northern Ireland, which will make a huge difference. McNair’s experience was noticeably missed last week.
Luca Bombino
For reasons I can’t quite wrap my head around, Mikey Varas really likes Bombino. Despite being only 18 years old, he has earned Varas' trust and will remain in the starting lineup.
Midfield
Jeppe Tverskov
Captain Jeppe is a must-start, and I see him scoring in this match. He came close to scoring last weekend, so I think he’ll find the net off a set piece.
Aníbal Godoy
Godoy returns from international duty with Panama, where they fell short in the Nations League final against Mexico. His absence was felt in the midfield, and I’m sure Varas is thrilled to have his veteran midfielder back in the lineup.
Luca de la Torre
De la Torre finally scored his first goal for the club last week, and he remains untouchable in the midfield. His ability to control the game is impressive, and he is every bit the elite player Mikey Varas claims him to be.
Attack
Anders Dreyer
Dreyer is another must-start. He needs to step up and make his presence known by scoring at home.
Tomás Ángel
Ángel will start as the striker on Saturday. He didn’t have his best performance against Austin, but he remains the best option. The only alternative is Anisse Saidi, the 16-year-old rising star.
Onni Valakari
Valakari has been one of San Diego’s most impactful players this season. Over the past three weeks, he has recorded two assists and a goal. For now, he’s a must-start.
Wave earn victory in 3-2 win over Utah Royals in home opener
San Diego Wave players celebrate the team’s second goal in their 3-2 victory over the Utah Royals. (Photo credit San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave won their first home match of the 2025 season in a 3-2 victory over the Utah Royals.
The Wave played with a strong high press that proved difficult forcing many turnovers and errors by Utah all around the pitch and managed to score in the first ten minutes.
It started with a strong buildup in the seventh minute and started with midfielder Kenza Dali making multiple tough moves to keep the ball before sending a long through ball down the right side of the pitch. Midfielder Gia Corley saved the ball just before it went out of play, collected herself and sent a perfect low cross to a running María Sánchez who just managed to get a foot on it right in front of the goal to make it 1-0.
The second goal came in 37th minute after a through ball by Corley in the midfield to Delphine Cascarino who ran the ball down the pitch and into the box just in front of the goalkeeper's post before sending in a cross right in front of goal to Adriana Leon who tapped it in easily to make it 2-0.
San Diego Wave Head Coach Jonas Eidevall called it a “well-deserved two-nil lead,” before a much different second half.
“The first half is all in all a performance that I’m very pleased with. I think we have good patience and control in our buildup and we were playing the ball forward at the right moment,” Eidevall said.
The Wave entered the second half dominant in all facets of the game, out-possessing 65% to 35%, and outshot seven to one.
“Now, the second half it’s a little bit different story,” Eidevall said. “They don’t change so much tactically, but they change the intensity that they do things with, which was something that we expected. We were not very good in the second half with handling that. “We were a little bit too slow in order to take our positions. Our technical execution was a little bit sloppy as well and when you combine these two things, that makes a massive difference.”
Utah scored their first goal in the 61st minute in a free kick just outside the Wave penalty area after a foul by Perle Morroni. Claudia Zornoza took the kick sending a curling ball over the Wave wall and past the reach of a diving Kailen Sheridan to make it 2-1.
The goal gave Utah momentum as they appeared to play with more confidence before adding on with an equalizing goal. Utah forward Mina Tanaka scored after receiving a through ball behind the Wave back line. Tanaka ran past Kennedy Wesley and put a strong foot on the ball to make it 2-2.
The second goal woke up the Snapdragon crowd, and the Wave responded well as they brought up their intensity and press to eventually score a game winner in the 74th minute.
The goal came from Gia Corley who was pressing high and intercepted a poor pass by the Utah goalkeeper just outside the penalty area. She brought the ball in and shot the ball strongly to deflect off a Utah defender and into the goal to make it 3-2.
“It's nice and positive that we found a way to win, again I think that’s really credit to the team’s mentality that when we concede the second goal that we don’t let that collapse,” Eidevall said. “So after the second goal we’re stepping out and regaining a little bit of that intensity in our pressure and we had a good period here until we scored the third goal.”
The Wave will play their next match on Saturday, March 29 against the reigning NWSL Champion and NWSL Shield winners, Orlando Pride, in a nationally televised game on ESPN at 9 a.m. PST at Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
San Diego FC vs Austin FC Match preview
Photo Credits to Ryan Young
Well we made one month into the season, and San Diego FC travel to Austin, Texas to face Austin FC. This was a game I wanted to travel to cover in person, but you know…flights are expensive and Tony doesn’t pay me anything.
But, this one is interesting because San Diego FC will face Chula Vista native Brandon Vasquez, a player that many SDFC fans wanted to play for their club, though Vasquez hasn’t yet made a big impact as he has not scored yet.
San Diego FC are entering this match without their starting striker Marcus Ingvartsen, who got injured and substituted off in the first half of their last match. Sources told SanDiego.futbol that it could be a torn quad and he could miss up to 12 weeks.
Head Coach Mikey Varas told the media on Friday, that Ingvartsen has a “lower leg injury,” and “will not come back anytime soon.” This response pretty much confirms the severity of the injury.
San Diego will also play without center back Paddy McNair and midfielder Anibal Godoy as they both got called up for international duty with their national teams, North Ireland and Panama respectively. .
The pressure is on for San Diego as this is the first time they play without 4 starters from week 1. Lozano is making great progress, but will not play this weekend, Ingvartsen who is injured, Godoy and McNair who are with their national teams.
The depth for this club is stretching thin, we probably will see rookie Ian Pilcher starting tomorrow along with McVey at center back, however, I still believe the play style is what has made this club very competitive.
I predict San Diego will go on to surprise everyone yet again, and win this match 3-1. With goals from Tomás Ángel, and Anders Dreyer, who seems to always score on the road. It will be a very back and forth match, and a fun one to watch.
Starting Xl
Defense
CJ Dos Santos
Dos Santos has been very solid in his debut season, has made some key saves for the club and has shown a growth of confidence every week.
Willy Kumado
Kumado took over the starting right back position last week, and I had mentioned in the past that it was just a matter of time before he did. I believe Kumado will get an assist tomorrow and will have a solid performance.
Chris McVey
McVey has earned the starting center back position, since Andres Reyes has been out with injuryowever, he has been phenomenal. This is a true test to see if he can be the leader this backline needs for this match, since McNair isn’t available.
Ian Pilcher
The rookie gets the opportunity of a lifetime to make his starting debut. The minutes that he’s gotten so far have been pretty good. There were a few mistakes, but that’s expected from such a young player. Pilcher will make some mistakes but will have a solid performance.
Franco Negri
Even though Negri didn’t get the start last week, I think Mikey Varas will want a player with more experience on the backline for this match. I think Negri starts again, to be a leader on the backline.
Midfield
Jeppe Tverskov
The captain will always start and will have a huge role in this match. With Godoy out, I think Tverskov will have a tough time getting around the field, but will still be the most important player on the midfield.
Luca De La Torre
De La Torre still needs to prove himself this season. Head Coach Varas told the media after the match against Columbus Crew, that players who play at a good to elite level will never be moved. I think De La Torre has been good so far, and will remain as a starter.
Onni Valakari
With a comment that Varas made last week, that players coming off the bench need to make an impact to earn a starting spot, it is no question that Valakari should start this game. He has had an assist and a goal in back to back games for SDFC and with Godoy unavailable he is a must start.
Attack
Anders Dreyer
This is an obvious start. Dreyer is the best player for this club and will always start. He scores again, maybe even gets a brace.
Tomas Angel
I believe Angel is the player that will need to step up in Ingvartsen’s absence. He will be the leading striker from now on, unless the team signs another striker.
Emmanuel Boateng
I think with the absence of Ingvartsen, Mikey Varas will want some experience in the front line, and who better than MLS veteran, Boateng. I don’t think he’ll have the best performance, and will be subbed out for Mighten in the second half.
San Diego Wave open NWSL season with draw against Angel City
San Diego Wave players celebrate following their goal in the fifth minute by midfielder Gia Corley. (Photo courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
Saved by Sheridan.
That has been said many times since San Diego Wave took to the field since 2022. A few seasons later and it remains a story as she led the team to a 1-1 draw against their Southern-California rivals, Angel City FC on the road to open the NWSL season.
“(Kailen Sheridan’s) a world-class goalkeeper. I think she’s pulling off some big saves, some big plays today and I think that’s one important part. I think she offers composure in possession,” new Wave head coach Jonas Eidevall said. “She’s a confident communicator which helps us as a team to solve situations during the game so I was very pleased with her performance.”
The Wave got off to a strong start with a goal in the fifth minute thanks to their speed and high press that forced turnovers from the opposition.
The first goal started in transition with Delphine Cascarino taking the ball down the right side of the pitch with time allowing her offense to push high against the goal. Cascarino sent a cross a little bit further back to the center of the box where the Wave’s new attacking midfielder, Gia Corley stood alone. Corley shot the ball easily into the goal away from the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
“Gia Corley is a really technical player, she’s got a lot of ability and skills, and she’s really young as well,” new midfielder Kenza Dali said. “I think she bring’s a lot to the team, and she’s rapid. She’s got everything to be a really good player.”
Wave goalkeeper, Kailen Sheridan, was the captain and star for the day as she made multiple important saves to keep Angel City off the board in the first half. The first major chance for Angel City came in the 19th minute when the USWNT young forward, Alyssa Thompson, made a run in open space behind the Wave’s high defensive line. Thompson drew the Wave defense to her leaving two Angel City players open on the opposite side.
Claire Emslie took the first chance that was saved by Sheridan’s long dive. The deflection landed in front of Alyssa’s younger sister Gisele Thompson, who shot the ball which got saved again by Sheridan.
Wave captain and goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan made a diving save to maintain San Diego’s 1-0 lead in the first half against Angel City. (Photo credit: San Diego Wave FC)
Alyssa Thompson had another clear chance later on in the 33rd minute with a one-on-one opportunity against Sheridan, but Thompson waited too long. She brought the ball into the box allowing Sheridan to come off her line and push the ball away while Thompson tried to cut left. Wave center back Kennedy Wesley cleared the deflection to maintain the 1-0 lead.
The Wave maintained 63% of the possession for the entire match and featured a cohesive midfield with new international players like Kenza Dali and Gia Corley. Coupled with their fullbacks who appeared comfortable playing alongside them.
Angel City eventually did manage to equalize as Alyssa Thompson forced an opportunity down the right side of the pitch in the 54th minute. She had been calling for a run throughout the match, and Kennedy Fuller took the opportunity as she saw Thompson open with plenty of empty space in front of her.
Fuller sent a through ball into the area for Thompson to run for which she did before A. Thompson faced the two Wave center backs inside the penalty area. Still A. Thompson managed to deke Sheridan slightly leaving just enough room on the far post to tie the game.
The Wave had a few more chances with substitutes like Adriana Leon, Kim Ascanio, Melanie Barrens and Makenzy Robbe after the 62nd minute to keep the attack fresh with speed and ability. Still no goals materialized for either side leaving the final score at 1-1.
San Diego Wave play their next match at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, March 23, 2025, against the Utah Royals.
San Diego fc vs columbus crew preview
Match Preview
San Diego FC is once again playing at home in Snapdragon Stadium. On March 1st, on their last home match, the infamous goalkeeper chant was heard around the stadium. There was an announcement to stop the chant in the 85th minute, and Head Coach Mikey Varas gave a strong statement at the start of the press conference addressing the chant.
Now, on March 15th, San Diego FC is playing against Columbus Crew. It sucks that the main topic is not that both of these teams are undefeated, but if the chant will be heard again. On Thursday, March 13th, CEO Tom Peen addressed the media with their plans to stop the chant. The team has made a flyer with the words, “AQUI NO, NOT HERE” to warn people about using the chant. Penn also mentioned that they have increased security, and fans could potentially get kicked out of the game. The basic FIFA rule will apply, where there will be a warning if the chant is heard, then a stoppage of the match, and finally the match could end early leading to a SDFC forfeit.
Imagine that, San Diego FC’s first ever loss due to a forfeit due to the fact that some proud so called “fans” still want to use a word that not only can be interpreted as homophobic, but also can’t get over the fact that they will potentially hurt the team they claim to support. By no means do I want this blog to be about the chant, but the simple fact that insecure men want to call everyone else soft for not being okay with this, just shows how insecure these men are about their sexuality and have to play the tough guy role and act like they always will be right about this issue. I suggest you get over your masculinity, and simply stop using a word that they already expressed is not welcomed in futbol. If you are someone who is still planning on saying the word, I suggest you don’t attend at all, it seems like a waste of money to me.
Another thing San Diego FC is doing before the match, is having CEO Tom Penn, Head Coach Mikey Varas, and Midfielder Anibal Godoy, to speak to the fans prior to kickoff. This is understandable, but I could not wrap my head around why not Lozano to release a statement. Or even better, why hasn’t Lozano released a statement. Tom Penn’s response to this question was that Godoy stepped up and is currently an active player, meaning since Lozano is injured, there is no reason why he should release a statement. I mean, this seems like a missed opportunity from the club to have your marquee Mexican signing, to plead to the Mexican supporters (which you actively seeked during your first year from being announced) to stop using that chant. It really makes you think where Lozano stands on all this.
Well, now to talk about the battle of the undefeated teams. I really do think Mikey Varas will repeat the same exact line up. So, for the sake of your precious time, I won’t type it all out, but just highlight some key players, sound fair enough? Alright, Varas confirmed on March 13th, that center back Paddy McNair is good to go and will be playing on Saturday. This is a huge relief since their only other center back option would have been rookie Ian Pilcher. Varas will play the same 3 players on midfield, with Tverskov, Godoy, and De La Torre having the same roles. Up top, I think Varas plays the same way, with Angel and Ingvartsen rotating from wing to striker. Varas also confirmed, that Lozano is still out, but has made great progress in his recovery, Lozano is still “week to week” on his return. Andres Reyes will also be unavailable with the same injury.
Match Prediction
I really do think San Diego FC will outperform Columbus Crew. San Diego is well rested, while the Crew had a midweek game against LAFC for the Concacaf Champions Cup. Columbus also plays with a 3 center back line, which is very similar to what San Diego saw in their last home match against St. Louis. Both teams like to keep possession of the ball, so it’ll be a very offensive match with a lot of attacking opportunities from both clubs. It really will come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes.
I do see San Diego getting an early lead with a goal by Anders Dreyer, their DP signing has been spectacular, scoring the game winner against Real Salt Lake last week. I do believe Columbus will eventually tie the match up, and San Diego getting their second and game winning goal somewhere in the 70th minute. San Diego will remain undefeated and acquire their first ever home win.
Let’s just hope the story remains on the soccer match, and not on what the fans choose to do.
San Diego FC strong in 3-1 away win over Real Salt Lake
San Diego FC left back Franco Negri celebrates his equalizing goal against Real Salt Lake in the club’s 3-1 victory. (Photo credit: San Diego FC)
San Diego FC persevered to win 3-1 on the road against Real Salt Lake. The victory puts the club at seven total points, extending their unbeaten streak to three and puts them second in the MLS Western Conference standings.
The club entered the match with some questions about their finishing ability as they were unable to score in their last match and were without their marquee forward, Hirving “Chucky” Lozano. Lozano was out with a lower body injury he sustained during the team’s home-opener against St. Louis City.
San Diego FC started off well in the first 15 minutes, as they dominated possession and created some opportunities in the final third much like their prior matches, until Real Salt Lake briefly took over.
In the 17th minute RSL midfielder Diego Luna sent a long ball down the right side of the pitch for an RSL forward, Domink Marczuk, who was pressing high. SDFC defender Franco Negri was left in an exposed position leaving the forward Domink Marczuk free to move toward the middle before sending a short pass into the box for Ariath Piol to shoot into the net easily to make it 1-0.
The goal was the first one conceded by the expansion club and marked a tough few minutes for the team who had some defensive miscues in their own half. Still, the team managed to settle in and revert to their high-possession style of play that has worked well.
“We talk a lot about impacting the flow of the game, and sometimes the flow of the game is going to go against you,” SDFC Head Coach Mikey Varas said. “You got to have composure in those moments, stick to our principles, stick to our style of play, keep positive, keep believing and just chip away and grind away at it.”
In the 43rd minute, SDFC left back Franco Negri got a great long pass that switched play to the left side in the opposition's half. Negri had time and space in front of him which he used to slowly move toward the middle before passing the ball to forward Tomás Ángel. Negri stayed in a central position and crept up into the penalty area. Ángel placed a perfect pass into the air for Negri who was wide open to head in to make it 1-1.
“Our sporting director had the quote of the night,” Varas said. “I don’t think anybody had Franco Negri scoring a header from eleven yards out on their bingo card tonight, but people step up and at the end of the day you have to celebrate that.”
It seemed the result would hold as both sides created offensive chances, but both teams goalkeepers made good saves to keep the match level. San Diego FC goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos saw the most action yet in an SDFC uniform as he saved five out of six shots on target in this match, more than he saw in the prior two matches combined.
“CJ Dos Santos was a monster tonight,” said Varas. “Of course we can always be nit-picky about every single player on the field about little things and he knows that he can improve, but at the end of the day he put the cape on tonight. He was the fireman for us because he takes two or three big, big, big chances away from them.”
That was until the first minute of added time when SDFC forward Anders Dreyer provided late-game heroics once again. The goal started with Willy Kumado who came on as a substitute in the right back position and made a strong move by passing the ball forward to himself and running around a defender to make a cross.
SDFC striker Marcus Ingvartsen made a run on the front post where the ball deflected off a defender perfectly in front of Dreyer who was waiting for the second ball. Dreyer put forth a strong kick to make it 2-1.
Ingvartsen added on with a goal of his own after a couple of good touches by midfielder Onni Valakari in the sixth minute of stoppage time to make the final score 3-1.
San Diego FC will play their next match at home on March 15, against Columbus Crew who have exactly the same record with two wins and one draw.
San Diego fc vs real salt lake preview
Photo Credit to Abraham Zepeda
Preview
San Diego FC will travel to Salt Lake City, Utah for what is going to be a real test with the high altitude. San Diego has to not only prepare tactically, but physically as well.
On Thursday, Head Coach Mikey Varas spoke to the media and confirmed that Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, will be out for this match. On their first home game, Lozano came off with a lower leg injury, and Varas confirmed that it is a hamstring injury and the status on his return is “week to week.” One thing San Diego does well is not rushing players back from any injury. Andres Reyes has not seen any playing time yet, and Varas insists that it is not an injury, they are just waiting for Reyes to get back to playing rhythm.
Now that San Diego has to play without their marquee signing, this can be a real test at how good they can be without him. Real Salt Lake is a tricky one to analyze. They’re coming off a 2-0 win against Seattle, but got eliminated from the Concacaf Champions Cup, against Herediano, a Costa Rican side.
San Diego is coming off a tied 0-0 game against St. Louis City SC.The question now is, how will step up in Lozano’s absence. Will Marcus Ingvartsen finally get on the scoring sheet? I will give my starting Xl and match prediction next.
Match Prediction
I do believe that with Lozano’s injury, Salt Lake may underestimate what San Diego will bring to the table. Varas explained to the media that they’re playstyle revolves heavily on the left side, to create the space on the right so the fullback can play more on the attacking side as well. If they continue with this tactic this gives Jasper Loffelsend a great opportunity to get in on the attack. Maybe even possibly score against his former team. Speaking with Loffelsend, he said he isn’t thinking about scoring or if he will even celebrate. I do think he will score on Saturday, as history always shows players tend to score against their former clubs.
If there is anyone that needs to step up more than ever in Lozano’s absence, it is Luca De La Torre. His playing ability isn’t in question anymore, this dude can ball. However, his impact needs to be more noticeable. Along with De La Torre, Marcus Ingvartsen needs to score a goal. You cannot have your starting striker, go a month into the league without a goal. Ingvartsen needs this for his confidence and to convince the San Diego fan base that he is their guy. San Diego will win this game on a 2-1 score, making this their second away win, staying undefeated, but conceding their first goal in MLS.
Starting Xl
Defense
CJ Dos Santos
Dos Santos is without a doubt goalkeeper number one, especially with back to back clean sheets. He gets the start on goal.
Jasper Loffelsend
Last week, I had Kumado starting over Loffelsend, that wasn’t the case and we can see why. Loffelsend has the pace and has developed a great dynamic with right winger Anders Dreyer. This duo can potentially remain on the starting line up this whole season if healthy. Loffelsend faces off against his former club, he did mention that there are only five players left from his season with the club. He still knows the environment, and how to play at that altitude.
Chris McVey
McVey will be starting again and he has done a great job so far. The two clean sheets have a lot to do with the center back’s performance, so McVey becomes untouchable for now.
Paddy McNair
Same thing goes for McNair. He is the leader of this backline and is so good at knowing whether to play it short through the middle, or send a long ball to relieve the backline of any pressure. He gets the start on Saturday and every other game.
Franco Negri
Negri has started every game this season, and it is the same thing again on Saturday. Without Lozano, it will be interesting who he has to connect more with on the left side with Lozano out.
Midfield
Jeppe Tverskov
Tverskov is undeniable and is probably the most important player on this roster. He captains the team for a reason. Tverskov is so patient with the ball, knows where his opponents are at the entire time, and can find the empty space in transition.
Anibal Godoy
Godoy is the surprise this season. His passing has been phenomenal and his experience in the league has shown. Godoy knows where to be at the right time and is not scared of making a hard tackle. He continues to start for San Diego FC.
Luca De La Torre
De La Torre is the player that needs to step up the most with Lozano out. He needs to make an impact on this game and let everyone know that he is in command. I expect a big game from De La Torre.
Attacking
Anders Dreyer
Anders Dreyer is the star of this team. When Lozano got injured in the last match, all eyes went to Dreyer who started getting double teamed, making it impossible for him to showcase his talents. I believe this may happen again, and that Salt Lake may plan this game around defending Dreyer.
Marcus Ingvartsen
Ingvartsen will remain as the starting striker for now, until head coach Varas realizes that he may not be the player they wanted him to be. Ingvartsen has yet to score, and despite the season being in its early stages, I cannot seem to wrap my head around the starting striker not scoring. Yes, there hasn’t been many balls getting his way, however, a great striker can create his own opportunities out of nothing. This is a big game for Ingvartsen.
Emmanuel Boateng
I think Mikey Varas selects Boateng to start against Real Salt Lake. He is the player that subbed on for Lozano against St. Louis, and has the experience to get the job done. I would prefer is Varas started either Mighten or even Ángel on the wing, but Varas will play it safe for this one.
Written By: Alejandro Villasenor
Photo Gallery: San Diego FC draws against St. Louis City SC in home opener
San Diego FC played St. Louis City SC to a scoreless draw in their first ever home match.
The match broke a record becoming the largest sporting event in Snapdragon Stadium history with 34,506 fans in attendance, but was marred in controversy as the crowd took part in a discriminatory chant heard at soccer matches. Fans in the supporter’s section attempted to counter with a chant of their own, but many around the stadium made their voices heard.
Here are some photos from the historic night by SanDiego.futbol’s Abraham Zepeda.
SAN DIEGO FC VS ST. LOUIS City SC PREVIEW
Photo credit: San Diego FC.
San Diego FC is set to play their first-ever MLS home match this Saturday against St. Louis City FC. San Diego got off to a strong start by defeating the current MLS champions, LA Galaxy 2-0. Anders Dreyer was the standout player, scoring a brace and securing 3 points on the road for the club. Now that they have all eyes on them, the pressure will be on at home. Here is my match prediction and starting lineup prediction for San Diego FC.
Match Prediction
San Diego FC has set a high bar for themselves by winning their first-ever MLS game. Now, the expectations will be for them to win this match as well, especially against a St. Louis side that missed out on the playoffs last season and set up defensively. On paper, this game is still difficult to predict, but with San Diego expecting a record-breaking attendance of 35,000 fans, I believe San Diego will deliver the goals for their home crowd. I predict that San Diego will be victorious in this match and will dominate the game. Lozano will be the first player to score at Snapdragon Stadium, putting San Diego up early in the first half. This will be followed by a second goal from San Diego's Luca De La Torre. San Diego will enter the second half with a 2-0 lead, but St. Louis will respond with a goal to make it 2-1. St. Louis will have a few more chances, and nerves will be high at Snapdragon Stadium. However, San Diego will seal the game with a third goal from a set piece by none other than Paddy McNair, making it 3-1. The final whistle will blow, and San Diego FC will have a 2-0-0 record, having won their first two MLS games.
Starting XI
Mikey Varas is likely to field a very similar starting XI for this match. He may make one or two changes, but the overall style of play will remain the same.
Defense
CJ Dos Santos
In goal, we will see CJ Dos Santos again. Dos Santos had his first-ever MLS start last week and earned his first-ever MLS clean sheet. He wasn’t tested much, and that will likely be the case again for this match.
Willy Kumado
Despite Loffelsend having a solid debut last week, I think Mikey Varas will give Kumado the starting right-back spot. Kumado had a full week to train and build chemistry with the team, so it will be exciting to see him start for the first time.
Sean McVey
McVey will start again as a center-back. He was solid last week, and with Varas confirming that Andres Reyes is not ready for playing time yet, McVey will remain a starter.
Paddy McNair
McNair will be the starting center-back all season. He had an outstanding start last week and led the backline to a clean sheet. I see McNair scoring a goal this weekend.
Franco Negri
Negri came off the game last week with a knock; however, Varas confirmed that he is match-fit and will start at left-back. Negri contributes a lot offensively and is a crucial part of this team.
Midfield
Jeppe Tverskov
Tverskov is the captain of this team and will always get the starting position unless injured. He was one of the most important pieces of the midfield and will have a great home debut.
Anibal Godoy
Godoy had the highest passing completion percentage last week at 94%. He has been a surprising starter so far. The 35-year-old not only plays an important role in leadership but also on the defensive side.
Luca De La Torre
De La Torre was the best player in the first half last week, covering all areas of the midfield. With this being his home debut in his hometown, I can see De La Torre getting on the scoresheet. He may still have a limit on his minutes and will most likely be substituted during the second half.
Attacking
Anders Dreyer
"La Secadora," as the Latino fan base is calling him, is becoming the star player of this team. Dreyer scored a brace last week and made the MLS Player of the Week list. I think he will have a huge game and could possibly score again.
Hirving Lozano
Lozano will have a much better game than he did against LA Galaxy. He will score the first goal at Snapdragon Stadium and will be named Player of the Match.
Marcus Ingvartsen
Ingvartsen will have a solid performance, though he may not get on the scoresheet again. If that happens, it will be time to start questioning why your starting striker isn’t scoring. It’s still early in the season, and Ingvartsen will remain the starting striker.
Written by: Alejandro Villasenor
San Diego FC beat LA Galaxy in first ever match
Photo credit: San Diego FC
San Diego FC started their season by spoiling the LA Galaxy’s MLS Cup championship celebration with a 2-0 victory at Dignity Health Sports Park in front of a sell-out crowd of 25,244 fans.
“The message for the people of San Diego is to enjoy this moment, and see what kind of football we can play, and win with this kind of football,” said San Diego FC Head Coach Mikey Varas in spanish. “But this is also a long process, and it’s a long season. We need to be consistent and we need to work, work, work, and be together for both the good and the bad.”
San Diego FC out-possessed the champions in the first half 59% to 49%, while playing solid defensively which many expected to be a weakness. Still, they only managed one shot against the Galaxy.
The true problem for the opponents didn’t come until the Galaxy attempted to build their play from the back starting with their goalkeeper, Novak Mićović.
Mićović attempted to pass the ball quickly to centre back Emiro Garcés but passed the ball high with too much force that made it difficult to control. The pass bounced off Garcés awkwardly into the lap of Hirving Lozano who passed the ball easily toward center of the box for Anders Dreyer. Dreyer shot it perfectly past Mićović to make it 1-0.
San Diego created a couple more great chances in the second half, but were stopped with excellent saves by Mićović to somewhat redeem his mistake.
The late minutes saw the Galaxy in a few dangerous positions in the final third that SDFC managed to barely survive thanks to its defense and a save by goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos to earn a clean sheet.
Then in the third minute of stoppage time SDFC sealed the victory with a wonderful counter attacking opportunity featuring the duo of wingers Dreyer and Tomás Àngel who was subbed on for Lozano.
Nearly all Galaxy players were in SDFC’s half attempting to equalize when Dreyer and Àngel passed the ball back and forth down the pitch before Àngel patiently waited inside the oppositions box before passing the ball to a wide open Dreyer who struck the ball into the top post bouncing behind the line to for a final score of 2-0.
The loss marked the Galaxy’s first home loss in over a year, specifically since October 21, 2023.
San Diego FC will look to continue their celebration at home in their first match at Snapdragon Stadium. There they will face St. Louis City SC on March 1, 2025 at 7 p.m. PST. St. Louis started their season at home against the Colorado Rapids who they played to a scoreless draw.
Villaseñor: San Diego FC vs. LA Galaxy preview
Photo credit: San Diego FC
San Diego FC will embark on its first-ever Major League Soccer match this Sunday, February 23rd, against the defending MLS Cup champions, LA Galaxy. Typically, expansion teams like San Diego FC don’t find immediate success, but this club will try to defy the odds against the Galaxy. My name’s Alejandro “Chiva” Villaseñor and I’ll provide a starting eleven prediction, an analysis of what the match will look like for San Diego FC and a score prediction to wrap things up.
I’ll be honest—these blogs won’t go into too much detail about the opposition each week but will instead focus on what San Diego FC has to offer before each match. While I’m not new to soccer, I am new to MLS. If you’re from San Diego and following San Diego FC this year, buckle up—this is the ride you want to be on before the start of each game. This won’t be the most professional writing; this is literally what’s in my head as I write. So here you go—my first-ever San Diego FC match blog.
Starting XI
San Diego FC Head Coach Mikey Varas will deploy a 4-3-3 formation. Soccer nerds know exactly what that means, but let me break it down for those new to the sport: a 4-3-3 formation consists of four defenders, three midfielders, and three attacking players. This formation is common and can be adapted to be more attacking or defensive, depending on the opponent.
From what we’ve seen in the preseason, Varas prefers a fast-paced offense that aims to get the ball into the opponent’s box within four to five touches. This system can be effective, but only if the team has the right players with the necessary pace, control and technique. Here’s what I believe Varas will go with on Sunday against the Galaxy.
The Defense
In goal, CJ Dos Santos is expected to start. This will be a big test for him to prove he has what it takes to be the club’s primary goalkeeper. The goalkeeping position is the most worrisome aspect of this lineup. At just 24 years old, Dos Santos is young for a starting goalkeeper—most goalkeepers hit their prime around 30. His ability to command the defense and show leadership may be a challenge.
On the backline, Jasper Loffelsend will likely start at right-back. Despite the recent signing of Willy Kumado, Loffelsend has logged more preseason minutes and has proven himself reliable in build-up play.
At left-back, Franco Negri, formerly of Inter Miami (the team with some guy named Lionel Messi—maybe you’ve heard of him?), will start. Negri, a 30-year-old Argentine, brings grit, loves to trash-talk, and knows how to entertain the fans. He’s expected to hold down the left-back position this season.
The center-back pairing will feature Sean McVey and Paddy McNair. McVey may not hold onto the starting spot for long, as Andres Reyes is recovering from knee soreness, but he’ll start in this match. McNair, if he stays healthy, will be a regular starter. The duo looked solid in the preseason against the New York Red Bulls, keeping a clean sheet in a 6-0 win.
Can this backline contain the reigning champions? Short answer: probably not. But let’s see how they perform under the bright lights at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The Midfield
This is where things get interesting. Instead of the usual one defensive midfielder, Varas will likely start two: captain Jeppe Tverskov and Aníbal Godoy. These two are the most experienced players on the team and also the oldest. Jeppe will be a key figure, not just because he wears the captain’s armband but because everything runs through him. He’s capable of launching long passes behind defenses and intercepting key passes from opponents. He arrives from Danish club FC Nordsjælland, which shares a connection with San Diego FC through their "Right to Dream Academy"—a well-known development program with teams in Egypt, Ghana, Denmark, and now San Diego.
Godoy, an MLS veteran, brings composure and experience. While I don’t see him as a weekly starter, he’ll play an important role early in the season. He delivers precise short passes and provides defensive stability.
Now for the difference-maker in midfield: San Diego native Luca de la Torre. De la Torre is a box-to-box midfielder who can do it all—defend, attack, and transition play through the middle. His vision and technique are far superior to the average MLS midfielder. After leaving San Diego at 14 to pursue a career in Europe, he most recently played in La Liga with Celta Vigo but struggled for game time. Now back in his hometown, he’ll be electrifying to watch and crucial to the team’s attacking success.
The Attack
The front three consists of a right winger, a left winger, and a central striker.
Leading the line at striker is Marcus Ingvartsen. A key early signing for San Diego FC, he’s a classic poacher who knows where to position himself in the box. He played alongside Tvserskov in Denmark, and their chemistry could be valuable. With his finishing ability and experience, I expect him to be among the league’s top scorers.
On the right wing, Anders Dreyer will start. MLS teams can sign up to three designated players (DPs), meaning they can earn significantly more than the league’s salary cap. Dreyer, a Danish international, was signed from Belgian club Anderlecht. He’s a quick, technical player with a deadly left foot and an eye for goal. Wearing the number 10, he’s expected to be one of the team’s standout players. Keep an eye on him—he might just become your favorite player.
And finally, the man everyone knows: Hirving "Chucky" Lozano on the left wing. Lozano, famous for his 2018 World Cup goal that gave Mexico a win over Germany, is the face of this team. He was the club’s first DP signing and received a massive unveiling event called "ChuckyMania," where thousands of fans showed up just to see him for three minutes. In preseason, he looked miles ahead of most MLS players. At nearly 30, he doesn’t have many years left at his peak, but he will be one of the top five players in the league and a consistent goal threat.
Match Prediction:
I believe San Diego FC will score first in this match. The Galaxy are the defending champions, but they’ve had key departures and injuries, and their preseason form wasn’t great. San Diego might even take a 2-0 lead, with Dreyer scoring and McNair or McVey getting a goal off a set piece. However, I have a gut feeling that a mistake by goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos will allow the Galaxy back into the game. Late in the match, LA will find an equalizer, and the game will end in a 2-2 draw.
That would still be a solid result for San Diego. Taking a point on the road against the champs is a good start to the season. In soccer, winning at home and drawing on the road is a recipe for success. Expect some rustiness from the players, as they’ve only been playing together for a few weeks, but overall, this should be an exciting match. If San Diego FC manages to steal a point, it will be a great way to kick off the season.
San Diego FC end preseason with dominant 6-0 win over New York Red Bulls
The pitch is set ahead of San Diego FC’s final preseason match against the New York Red Bulls. SDFC won the match 6-0.
San Diego FC ended their preseason at the Coachella Valley Invitational with a bang in a 6-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, February 15.
“It’s pretty obvious the boys were fantastic today. Everything was clicking the way you would want it to click. It’s a huge credit to the players, not just the quality that they have, but also the conviction for the style of play and how quickly they’re getting to know each other,” said SDFC Head Coach Mikey Varas.
SDFC had played two matches to a loss in the with a lacking offense that was not finishing well, but played much better with an offense firing on all cylinders that passed the ball with ease and took advantage of multiple counter attacking opportunities.
By halftime the squad was up 3-0 with goals in minute 8, 17 and 40 by San Diego FC’s three marquee players. Anders Dreyer scored the first, Hirving “Chucky” Lozano scored the second. Luca de la Torre made the best of the three receiving a long ball from the opposite corner before running into the box and burying it in the back of the net.
“It’s always important to get your attackers scoring goals,” Varas said. “Ultimately, all that I care about is that they’re fighting for their team, they’re running, they’re playing within our style of play and that they’re getting into good positions to score, because if they do that, then I know the goals will come.”
In the second half Dreyer completed a brace and Marcus Ingvartsen scored a simple pass from Lozano inside the box before substitutes replaced most of the squad. Emmanuel Boateng added on with a penalty kick goal to make it 6-0.
SDFC will begins its regular season on the road on Sunday, February 23, against the MLS Cup Champions LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The match will take place at 4 p.m. PST and broadcasted live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Varas tipped for success by former Youth National Team player
Photo courtesy of San Diego FC.
Newest San Diego FC Head Coach, Mikey Varas, has been tipped for success by one of his former players with the United States Youth National Team, Caden Clark.
In Zach Lowy’s latest work he interviewed the Montreal CF player about his football journey, where he highlighted Varas’ work as a coach at the international level.
“Mikey (Varas) was a great coach and he’s going to do really well at San Diego, I already know it,” said Clark. “He’s a very open guy who’s always there for his players, he has a goal, he has a gameplan… I’m grateful for him and I hope he does very well with San Diego. Playing under Mikey and numerous other coaches, they teach you another part of the game that comes from not being at your club.”
The full article can be found here at rg.org, and you can find more of Zach Lowy’s work through his social media @ZachLowy
Wave end tumultuous season with 3-1 win against Racing Louisville
San Diego Wave players celebrate a goal by Jaedyn Shaw in the third minute of the match in the team’s 3-1 win against Racing Louisville. (Photo credit: San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave ended their 2024 season on somewhat of a positive note earning their strongest road performance of the season in a 3-1 win against Racing Louisville.
The match was originally scheduled to be a home game for the Wave, but was relocated to Louisville because of poor field conditions at Snapdragon Stadium.
“There are a lot of things you can’t control, and so the beauty of playing in Concacaf for all these years is you get used to these situations and you just don’t bat an eye…,” Donovan said. “Ultimately, it makes you more resilient and it’s good for you. So the next time something like this happens, they can all look at each other and say, hey, remember when we had to go to Louisville on 36 hours notice and we still won the game?”
In total the Wave ended with six wins, seven draws and 13 losses leaving them at 10th place out of 14 teams in the standings only a year after they won the NWSL Shield for the best regular season record.
The Wave got the scoring started early in the third minute with a great goal by Jaedyn Shaw who was away with the United States Women’s National Team for two weeks, and played on Wednesday in Louisville, Kentucky.
Shaw’s goal came from what seemed to be an intended cross into the goal box, but found the back post after the goalkeeper was forced to cover her nearside with Kyra Carusa making a run to attempt a header.
The 19-year-old star played in three matches in three different states in one week with the national team, traveled to San Diego where she stayed for less than 48 hours before going back to Kentucky to play for the Wave.
San Diego also managed to get goals from two of their forwards who contributed greatly to the team, but had not yet scored in the regular season.
The first came from María Sánchez in the 22nd minute as she stood to take a free kick from outside the penalty area. Sánchez has the most goal contributions for the Wave all season and has been great in set piece opportunities. She sent a perfect ball around the opponent’s wall that curved into the goal to make it 2-0.
The Wave’s third goal came in the 76th minute for Savannah McCaskill who subbed on for Sánchez less than 10 minutes prior. French international forward Delphine Cascarino sent a cross high to the center of the goal box that McCaskill jumped to head in easily to make it 3-1.
On the defensive end, the Wave conceded a goal in the second half after a header by Bethany Balcer, and were beneficiaries of a seemingly incorrect offside call by the referee that could have been deemed a penalty kick for Louisville.
“I am so incredibly proud of them, what we’ve started building here is really special, given the circumstances,” interim head coach Landon Donovan said. “It’s a group that had to become really resilient given everything that’s gone on, and I’m just really proud of their effort and how they handled everything and just got themselves going. They were in a great place before the game, and then they performed really well.”
It is unclear whether Donovan will stay with the Wave as permanent head coach, and he said after the match to reporters in Spanish that he will have a conversation with the new ownership, Wave President Jill Ellis and General Manager Cammile Ashton about the future.
San Diego Wave relocates final home match to Louisville citing field safety concerns
San Diego Wave FC are having their worst year to date.
The club decided to relocate their final home match on Sunday, November 2, to Louisville due to “ongoing player and field safety concerns at Snapdragon Stadium,” according to a statement released by the team.
“The safety and well-being of all players is our top priority, and the current field conditions at Snapdragon Stadium, which are the responsibility of a third party, have not met the standards required for a safe playing environment. A thorough review of the field was conducted and all alternative options within Southern California were exhausted; however, the league ultimately determined that moving the game to Louisville was the best solution.”
Snapdragon Stadium released a statement in response to the decision by the NWSL.
“We are disappointed with the (NWSL) decision to move Sunday’s Match from Snapdragon Stadium. Although we recognize the aesthetics of the field do not meet our desired expectations, we are confident in our readiness to play a match on Sunday in safe conditions,” the statement said. “Several factors, including high demand for field use and weather have affected the turf, but we are dedicated to investing resources, specialized expertise and advanced technology to address these challenges going forward.
“We are actively evaluating its condition and our maintenance program to make necessary improvements. Our commitment includes integrating grow lights, exploring additional sod farm opportunities, evaluating different grass types, and adopting diverse installation methods.”
The field conditions have been an issue from even before the NWSL season during the Concacaf W Gold Cup when the pitch was waterlogged barely allowing the ball to roll on the pitch because of puddles of water in a semi-final match between USA and Canada.
A multitude of issues have surrounded the Wave in 2024.
The club fired its award-winning head coach, Casey Stoney, during a seven-match winless streak. They didn’t advance out of the group stage in the Concacaf W Champion’s Cup. They failed to qualify for the NWSL playoffs, and are in second-to-last place in the NWSL standings.
The club also faces off the field issues as the Wave are being sued by five former employees for discrimination and sexual harassment among other disturbing allegations. Wave president Jill Ellis also filed a defamation lawsuit against one of those employees, and that employee filed an anti-SLAPP motion in response.
Ironically, Stoney, was fined by the NWSL in 2023 for comments in a post-match press conference about the field conditions in Louisville in which now retired Wave star, Alex Morgan, was left off the roster.
Stoney said “we didn’t know what the surface was going to be like either, notoriously we come here and it’s been a poor surface.”
The match may have playoff implications for the final spot in the NWSL playoffs for Racing Louisville and last place in the league for the Wave if the Houston Dash beat Bay FC the day prior and Louisville win against San Diego. The match will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN at 2:30 p.m. PST
Wave re-sign Kristen McNabb to 2-year deal through 2026
Photo courtesy: San Diego Wave FC
San Diego Wave FC has re-signed defender, Kristen McNabb, to a new two-year contract with the club that extends through the 2026 season.
“I’ve loved being part of the Wave since the inaugural season and am excited to stay in San Diego and continue to grow both personally and professionally,” said McNabb. “I love the community and the fans and feel very lucky that I get to be a part of this team for another two years.”
McNabb leads all Wave field-players in minutes played at 1,852 for the 2024 season, and has logged 5,145 minutes across all three NWSL regular season’s with the club. McNabb primarily played as an outside back and center back during her time with the Wave.
“McNabb has been an integral part of this team and we are thrilled to have her continue with us in San Diego,” said San Diego Wave FC Sporting Director and General Manager Camille Ashton. “Her versatility across the back line and experience in the league are invaluable as we build for 2025 and beyond.”
McNabb joined the team in 2022 through the NWSL Expansion Draft after five seasons with the Seattle Reign. Across all competitions, McNabb has logged 36 shots and scored five goals. On defense, McNabb has a total of 81 total tackles and 58 interceptions across her three seasons with the Wave.
San Diego Wave FC has been eliminated from playoff contention, but plays their final match on Sunday, November 2, against Racing Louisville FC. The match will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN at 2:30 p.m. PST.
Wave crushed in 4-1 defeat against KC; Eliminated from playoff contention
It’s almost over.
San Diego Wave FC lost 4-1 in an away match against the Kansas City Current effectively eliminating them from NWSL playoff contention.
“It’s been a difficult year. It’s been a disappointing year for everyone, but they get up every time and go again and that’s all I can really judge them on right now,” said Donovan. “It’s been really hard on them, but they’ve never quit and I give them a lot of credit for that.”
The Wave were outclassed in their match against the Current who have scored more goals than any other team this season with 54 led by the golden-boot leader, and likely NWSL MVP, Temwa Chawinga.
The Current scored their first goal in the 22nd minute after taking advantage of a quick counter attack. A cross went into the box just after Wave defenders tracked back, and Kaitlyn Torpey managed to stop the ball, but the deflection landed perfectly in Michelle Coopers path to shoot it in to make it 1-0.
The second goal came in the next 10 minutes as Kansas City kept their press forward creating many opportunities before forcing a huge error by the Wave’s goalkeeper, Kailen Sheridan. The Current had another counter attack and a ball that was headed out of play near the endline. Cooper sent in a cross toward the back post, and Sheridan tried to jump and catch it, but the ball bounced off her hands into the goal to make it 2-0.
Kansas City saw two more goals, one from Chawinga and another from her substitute, Brazilian standout, Debinha.
The Wave did manage to avoid a shutout as Delphine Cascarino sent in a wonderful goal from just barely inside the final third of the pitch that curved into the net to make a final score of 4-1.
“It’s been hard to just find continuity,” Donovan said. “While there’s been moments that have been great, ultimately the kind of lack of cohesion and lack of consistent lineup, (and) players playing together has an impact on scoring goals. That’s the hardest part.”
As it stands The Wave lie in second-to-last place before their final match on Sunday, November 3, against Racing Louisville, who could be fighting for the final playoff spot depending on other results that weekend.
Levine Leichtman Family Office Complete Purchase of San Diego Wave FC
The Levine Leichtman Family Office has officially completed the purchase of San Diego Wave FC from its previous owner Ron Burkle. Lauren Leichtman will serve as the club’s new NWSL Governor, and her son, Zachary Leichtman-Levine, will be the new NWSL Alternate Governor.
“We are incredibly proud to take ownership of the San Diego Wave FC,” said Lauren Leichtman. “This team has made a significant impact on women’s soccer and has become an integral part of the San Diego community. We are thrilled to join this extraordinary journey and build upon the incredible foundation laid by Ron Burkle. Our commitment to the club will extend beyond the field as we pursue the construction of a new state-of-the-art training facility while also supporting local youth development and community programs. Our mission is to create an unparalleled experience for fans, players, and staff, further cementing the Wave’s position as the premier women’s soccer club.”
The Levine Leichtman family led by Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine founded a private equity firm in 1984 that has managed approximately 15 billion dollars since their inception according to a press release.
Along with the family office they have added other strategic partners as investors who are “established business and philanthropic leaders in San Diego.”
The news of the sale was first reported in March of 2024 by Sportico. According to Sportico The Levine Leichtman family originally bought 35% of the club in the Spring and completed the other 65% in October for a final valuation at $120 million.
“What we have accomplished with the Wave has been remarkable, not only for the club but for the league and the entire community” said Burkle. “I’m incredibly proud of how far the club has come and want to thank Jill (Ellis), her staff and the players for their hard work and passion. As the club moves forward, I know that Arthur, Lauren, Zac and Sabrina will continue its growth with the same standard San Diego has come to expect. I look forward to supporting its ongoing success alongside the passionate fans.”
Club América Feminil knock Wave out of Concacaf W Champions Cup
Wave Forward Delphine Cascarino dribbles the ball in the Wave’s 1-0 defeat against Club América Femenil in the Concacaf W Champions Cup. (Photo credit: San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC lost their final match of the Concacaf W Champions Cup against Club América Femenil after winning their first three effectively eliminating them from the tournament.
“I’m disappointed. There’s a lot going through my head, I’m just processing everything,” interim head coach Landon Donovan said. “Nights like tonight really hurt me, I’ve only been here a few months, but they hurt me for the club. I’ve achieved a lot in my life, and I don’t need any personal gain out of this, it’s just, I wanted this for the club and so it’s sad when you can’t deliver that and I feel bad about that.”
The Aguilas came on strong with their offensive counter attacking style that made the pace very fast before quickly forcing an error by the Wave’s defense.
It came in the 22nd minute following a set-piece opportunity for the Wave in the opposition’s half. The ball was cleared by América giving Sarah Luebbert an opportunity with lots of open space. Luebbert had just beaten Girma running down the pitch and Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan was outside the penalty area. Sheridan committed an obvious foul to avoid a potential open shot on goal and was shown a red card leaving the Wave with 10 players.
Hillary Beall took Sheridan’s spot in goal and forced the team to substitute Mya Jones off the pitch.
The Wave nearly saw a similar moment near the end of the first half as Perle Morroni fell to the ground in a run against the final defender. It appeared that Morroni was kicked in the ankle just outside the penalty area. The referee did not call the play a foul, and the tournament was not using VAR for any matches in the group stage.
Still, the Wave managed to stay alive despite an exciting game with chances for both sides who play an offensive-minded style of soccer, with many set-piece opportunities for the Wave.
In the 58th minute, Aguilas left back Nicolette Hernández sent in the cross that Kiana Palacios headed to the ground, but took an odd bounce because of the pitch conditions. Wave goalkeeper Hillary Beall seemed to have been surprised by the bounce, but she still managed to save the shot. However the deflection landed inside the 6-yard box for Sarah Luebbert to tap in easily making it 1-0.
“The goal is a tough one to take and the field’s been in really bad shape, especially in the goal now,” Donovan said. I feel bad for Hillary (Beall), the ball bounces and moves like four feet, so she’s probably devastated by it, but there’s nothing we can do about that.”
The Portland Thorns, and Club América Femenil advanced out of group B and will face Tigres Femenil and Gotham FC respectively in the semifinals of the tournament on May 22, in a to be announced centralized location.
The Wave play their next match on Saturday, October 19, in an away match against the Kansas City Current.