Wave lose 2-1 against North Carolina Courage
Hanna Lundkvist scored the Wave's lone goal in their 2-1 defeat against the North Carolina Courage. The Courage clinched a playoff position with the victory. (Photo courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
The time to make the playoffs is running out.
San Diego Wave FC lost on the road against the North Carolina Courage 2-1 at WakeMed Soccer Park.
The Courage scored their first goal in the 32nd minute after a counter attacking opportunity. The courage crossed the ball into the box that a player attempted to shoot, but it deflected off Wave defender Kristen McNabb and voided the offside position Aline Gomes was in. Gomes shot the ball off the top post before it bounced behind the line to make it 1-0.
The second goal came during the first half’s stoppage time after another cross from the right side by North Carolina. Again, the ball bounced off Kristen McNabb trying to clear the pass, but this time it stayed in the air for Manaka Matsukobo to head in strongly to make it 2-0.
“The frustrating thing was going down two goals right before half, because I think at 1-0 with some adjustments with good subs coming, we could've gotten the goal then that would have tied the game,” interim head coach Landon Donovan said.
The Wave managed to get back on the board after a corner kick set piece, which has been the chief source of goals for the Wave this season. María Sánchez sent in a cross that Courage goalkeeper Caseey Murphy tipped away, but it landed inside the six yard box right in front of Hanna Lundkvist who tapped it in to make it 2-1.
The Wave earned one more chance in the dying minutes of the match with another corner kick. The goalkeeper cleared the initial service, before it bounced out to María Sánchez who sent in a great shot that Murphy dove to save. That deflection landed in front of Mya Jones who sent a strong shot of her own that was blocked and cleared by the defender Kaliegh Kurtz on the goal line.
Donovan said after the match that in the final sequence “it felt like they had 11 goalkeepers back there just making saves.”
The loss keeps them in 10th place in the NWSL standings, six points away from the final playoff spot with only three matches to play in the regular season.
The Wave play their next match at home against the last-place Houston Dash on Sunday, October 13 at 5:00 p.m. PST.
