Zepeda: Not disgusting, disappointing
Midfielder Savannah McCaskill made her first start since August 1, in the Wave's 2-0 loss against the last-place Houston Dash. (Photo Credit: San Diego Wave FC)
That was about as disappointing a loss as you can have.
With only two regular season matches left, San Diego Wave FC lost 2-0 against the last-place Houston Dash.
Interim Head Coach for San Diego Wave FC Landon Donovan shook his head and took a long pause after answering the first question of his post-match press conference.
“It feels disgusting to lose that game,” Donovan said. “It was kind of a classic when the conditions are a little tough to play on and one team really wants to play it kind of equalizes it, and (if) the other team doesn’t want to play, it makes it more favorable to them.”
Disgusting is fair to say, but I wouldn’t say that. Disgust should come with a bit of surprise, and I, nor many who have watched this team were surprised by that result, merely disappointment that it came against the last-place team in the NWSL.
All season the Wave have struggled to take advantage of their many chances in the final third, despite dominating in possession and shots attempted.
The Wave had 68% possession, 19 shots and 13 corner kicks, but still couldn’t find the back of the net. It was the first time that Jaedyn Shaw and Savannah McCaskill started an NWSL regular season match since July 5.
It wasn’t enough.
The Wave had a golden opportunity on Sunday. There were two teams ahead in the standings that lost over the weekend, Bay FC and Racing Louisville. The task was simple: beat the worst team in the league at home.
The first Dash goal came in the 30th minute via a penalty after a rare error by Naomi Girma inside the box. Girma earned a yellow card for fouling Yuki Nagasato while she attempted to shoot the ball.
Bárbara Olivieri took the penalty and shot the ball in the opposite direction of Kailen Sheridan to make it 1-0.
The second goal came with an assist by the playing surface at Snapdragon Stadium.
In the 72nd minute Kristen McNabb got pressure from Houston’s Olivieri and tried to stay on her feet and maintain possession of the ball, but she slipped and fell on the sandy surface in an attempt to recover the ball.
Olivieri moved into the box with ease and drew the defense toward her before making a final pass to allow Ramona Bachmann to score with ease and make it 2-0.
Technically, San Diego still has a chance to make the playoffs if they win out and the four teams ahead of them in the standings fall in line.
I wouldn’t count on it.
The only true hope remains in the Concacaf W Champions Cup against Club América Femenil on Wednesday night. A win or draw would clinch the top spot in their group to send them to the semifinals of the tournament. The winner of the tournament will represent the Concacaf region in the first edition of the Women’s Club World Cup.
That won’t take place until 2026.
Five former employees sue San Diego Wave FC
Photo by Abraham Zepeda March 23, 2024
On Monday, October 7, 2024 five former Wave employees filed a civil case against San Diego Wave FC and the National Women’s Soccer League alleging disability discrimination, racial discrimination, sexual harassment and other failures in the workplace.
“(Jill) Ellis’s cultural and legal failings, and the abusive and hostile work environment in San Diego had become so large that multiple employees reported her conduct to the NWSL and asked for help from the NWSL,” the legal complaint states.
“Ellis, as San Diego Wave’s President, not only set the tone for an abusive and toxic workplace culture, but failed to install any qualified safeguards or checks on her own conduct. Instead of hiring individuals with experience, she mainly hired friends of friends that lacked qualifications for the job.
The lawsuit was first reported on by Defector which includes a lengthy description of the allegations made by the five plaintiffs and includes a link to the official legal complaint itself.
Wave FC gave a statement to Defector saying, “This lawsuit concerns allegations initially raised on July 3, 2024. As this matter is an ongoing legal proceeding, we are unable to comment further at this time."
The NWSL also gave a statement to the Associated Press saying, “The safety, health, and well-being of everyone associated with our league is our highest priority. We take serious any and every report of potential misconduct, hire qualified independent investigators to review those allegations thoroughly, and act when allegations are supported by the facts uncovered. We will not comment specifically about an active legal matter.”
The ongoing legal proceeding refers to a defamation case against former Wave employee, Brittany Alvarado, who posted a statement on social media alleging discrimination by Wave leadership and called for Wave president Jill Ellis to be removed. Following the statement the Wave called the claims false.
On July 29, Ellis filed a defamation lawsuit against Alvarado for her statements. The complaint said Alvarado was a disgruntled employee with claims that were “outrageous and completely false.”
The Wave will play their next match on Sunday, October 13, against the Houston Dash.
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.
Wave cruise in 2-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Defender Hanna Lundkvist moves the ball forward in the San Diego Wave's 2-0 victory against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Lundkvist played a great match on the right side creating many chances and shots throughout the match. (Photo Credit: Wave FC)
Dominant, but it took a while.
San Diego Wave FC won their third match in the Concacaf W Champions Cup with a 2-0 result in B.C. Place against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
The Wave featured a rotated starting lineup without many of their traditional starters like Kailen Sheridan, Naomi Girma, María Sánchez and Delphine Cascarino, but dominated in possession throughout the match holding the ball more than 70% of the time.
San Diego controlled the ball throughout the pitch and outshot Vancouver 32-2, but they still struggled to score their many opportunities in front of goal.
The first goal didn’t come until the 59th minute when defender Kaitlyn Torpey forced an opportunity inside the opposition’s penalty area after a pass from 16-year-old Kimi Ascanio. Torpey got the ball and rushed passed a defender before sending it low toward the far post. The goalkeeper managed to hit the ball with her leg, but it bounced over and into the net to make it 1-0.
The second goal came a minute after the Wave’s first substitutions in the 66th minute by Amirah Ali.
Ali subbed on for Melanie Barcenas and immediately made her presence felt after being left open in the center of the box by Vancouver. Hanna Lundkvist brought the ball in and sent an easy pass to Ali that she shot easily past the goalkeeper to make it 2-0.
The Wave have nine points and will play against Club America Femenil for their final match of the Concacaf W Champions Cup group. The match could have major implications on who will advance out of the group stage should the Portland Thorns win their match against Vancouver the day prior.
Should Club America Femenil beat the Wave, three teams could be tied with nine points and it will come down to goal differential to determine who advances on to the semifinals in 2025.
San Diego will play their third match of the week, again on the road against the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, October 5 for the NWSL regular season. The last time the Wave faced North Carolina was on September 8, the emotional Alex Morgan retirement match that the Wave lost 3-1.
Wave subs solid in 2-0 victory over Portland
San Diego Wave players celebrate 16-year-old Melanie Barcenas' first professional goal to put the Wave up 2-0 over the Portland Thorns. (San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC beat the Portland Thorns 2-0 at Snapdragon Stadium in front of an announced crowd of 15,271 fans to put the club only three points away from a playoff position with four matches left to play in the regular season.
The Wave’s offensive system worked well with a 4-3-3 formation once again against the Thorns as they controlled possession and wore them down with a constant pressure up top that didn’t let up throughout the match. They saw fewer shots than usual to begin a first half, but still managed to create issues thanks to the footwork of forwards like Delphine Cascarino.
The first substitutions came in the 59th minute to put on Mya Jones, Melanie Barcenas and Kaitlyn Torpey.
Wave interim head coach Landon Donovan said after the match he knew at the 60 minute mark that Portland would “struggle physically,” because of their travel and tough schedule.
His prediction turned out to be correct as the Wave substitutes poured on the pressure and kept the pace fast before eventually scoring in the 69th minute. During a set piece Kristen McNabb received a ball from María Sánchez that went high in the air just in front of the goal inside the 6-yard box. Forward Mya Jones stood tall over Portland’s defender Sam Coffey on the line and pushed the ball in with her chest to make it 1-0.
The momentum was at that point undeniable as the Wave offense kept the pressure on Portland to score only minutes later in the 74th minute. Following another set piece opportunity, 16-year-old Melanie Barcenas took the ball in from the top corner of the box before sending in a strong shot aimed toward the far post. Though the ball was deflected off Portland defender Isabella Bryld Obaze directly into the net to make it 2-0 for her first professional goal ever.
“It’s amazing to score a goal anywhere, but especially to score a first goal here is a different special thing, and I’m just so happy to be supported by our amazing team and family here tonight, and the fans,” Barcenas said. “It’s just really a surreal moment to know I was just a little girl watching games here, so now just putting the ball in the back of the net is a great feeling.”
Barcenas has been getting more minutes under Donovan, primarily because of injury, but has been solid in her role as a forward. However, Barcenas is expected to play in the Under-17 Women’s World Cup for the United States in October and likely be away from the Wave for the rest of the regular season.
“It’s the same with Loyal, these are like my children now, and so you’re proud of them to excel and succeed,” Donovan said. “I am very happy for her to go off with the national team, especially in the form she’s in, but it’s going to hurt us. She’s become a really impactful player for this team.”
The Wave play their next match on Tuesday, October 1, in the Concacaf W Champion’s Cup in Canada against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Women. Their next NWSL match will happen in the same week on October 5, against the North Carolina Courage away from home.
Wave fail to finish; Fall 1-0 against Chicago Red stars
San Diego Wave FC played their third match in seven days against the Chicago Red Stars to a 1-0 defeat, despite creating many chances and shooting more than any other match this season.
“Sometimes you do everything right, and it doesn’t go your way,” said interim head coach Landon Donovan after the match.
The Wave outshot Chicago 28 to 9, 21 from inside the penalty box, and dominated the possession battle with 63%, but continued their struggles with finishing their chances.
“They’ve not been used to being in the box with that many chances, so when you do, I have to create training sessions that have them in the box, so they just get more comfortable hitting the target, and scoring goals,” Donovan said. “Now tonight they did everything right.”
The front line started with María Sánchez on the left, Mya Jones in the middle and Delphine Cascarino on the right coupled with Melanie Barcenas in the attacking midfielder role. Jones had one of the best opportunities of the night from just outside the goalkeeper’s box, but she shot it into the woodwork.
Chicago’s goal came early in the match off the head of Brazilian international, Ludmila, in the 12th minute after a long cross from outside the box. Perle Morroni playing in the left back position could not maintain her defense allowing Ludmila to move into the ball’s path easily to make it 1-0.
The poor finishing continued in the second half, despite the many chances created with substitutes like Amirah Ali, Elyse Bennett and Jaedyn Shaw joined the attack, but the same issues persisted. No one could find the back of the net.
The loss keeps the Wave in 12th place in the NWSL and six points away from the final playoff spot. with five matches to play. They will return to San Diego to play the Portland Thorns on Saturday, September, 21 at Snapdragon Stadium.
Sánchez shines in 3-2 comeback against Portland
María Sánchez celebrates one of her three goals in San Diego Wave's 3-2 comeback victory over the Portland Thorns. (Photo credit: San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC came from behind, down by two goals in the 60th minute against the Portland Thorns to win 3-2 with a hat trick by forward María Sánchez.
The win marked the team’s second victory in a row and second of the Concacaf W Champions Cup. They are now in prime position in that tournament atop their group with six points and only two matches left in the group stage.
“I think it’s important to have things going our way. Just having the feeling of a win is important, we had gone months without having that,” Sánchez said. “It’s important to feel that and know we’re a good team, and have good quality players and that we can keep winning.”
The team led in most major statistical categories as they held the possession advantage for long stretches of time, and outshot the Thorns 20-8. Still, their counter attacking style left large areas of the field open that allowed the Thorns to score twice before the Wave converted one of their many chances.
“We were awesome tonight, it would have been really, really cruel to lose that game. We deserved to win, and win by a lot, so I’m proud of the turnaround, quick turnaround from Saturday for a team that’s lost a lot of games this year,” interim head coach Landon Donovan said. “To go down two goals and just continue to believe, keep playing and putting them under pressure was awesome.”
Both goals by Portlans came in breakout opportunities, first by USWNT star forward Sophia Smith whose unmatched speed put her in a dangerous position in the Wave’s final third. Smith rifled a shot to the goalkeeper, Kailen Sheridan’s nearside post to make it 1-0 in the 26th minute.
In the 54th minute Reilyn Turner took advantage of open space after a quick throw-in that caught the Wave on the back foot. Turner had a clear look at the goal after she received her pass and shot the ball with ease past Sheridan to make it 2-0.
The Wave still maintained confidence in their game plan and continued controlling the pace before the goals eventually broke through the floodgates.
The first goal came in the 67th minute when Makenzy Doniak, who subbed on in the 59th minute, drew a foul just inside the box that was deemed a penalty by the referees. María Sánchez took the penalty and sent it past the goalkeeper who did manage to guess correctly, but the shot was strong enough to make it 2-1.
Portland attempted to start fast in response, but the Wave kept the pressure on to score in the next two minutes.
French international forward Delphine Cascarino had another great match that gave defenders trouble on the wings of the pitch where she showed off her wonderful footwork before sending well placed crosses throughout the match. The attempts finally worked as she sent a great cross toward the back post that Sánchez headed in to equalize at 2-2.
The pressure did not stop there as the Thorns had no answer for the Wave’s strong attack. The final goal came in the 85th minute after more strong play by Cascarino brought the ball into a dangerous position in the Thorns’ final third. Amirah Ali got a pass and attempted to shoot the ball, but hit the hand of Portland’s Becky Sauerbraun that was immediately called a penalty.
Sánchez stood at the spot again and sent the ball into the exact same spot as last time to cement her hat trick and make it 3-2.
The win is a much needed step in the right direction for the Wave who just broke a 12-match winless streak in the NWSL regular season with a win over the second to last-place Utah Royals last Saturday.
The Wave’s star center back Naomi Girma said after the match the win is helping to build momentum that can propel the team moving forward.
“I think confidence on the ball is a big thing. I think we’re playing a lot more, we're getting the ball in good spots and we’re making teams defend for long stretches of time,” Girma said. “That just helps us build confidence, helps to build momentum in a game and you know you always want to have the ball, so I think when we can be dangerous and create a lot of chances it helps us build it.”
The Concacaf W Champions Cup is a club tournament with teams around the Concacaf region that will qualify its winner for the first ever Women’s Club World Cup in 2026. The Wave qualified for the tournament by winning the NWSL Shield for the best record in the league.
The Wave play their next NWSL regular season match on Saturday, against the Chicago Red Stars in Chicago. Their next Concacaf W Champions Cup will take place on Tuesday, October 1, away from home against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Zepeda: San Diego waves goodbye to Alex Morgan
Alex Morgan waves goodbye for the final time as a professional soccer player. Morgan is retiring from professional soccer and is pregnant with her second child. (Photo Courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
What a day in San Diego. Wave fans got to say goodbye to one of the greats.
Soccer icon, Alex Morgan, retired from professional soccer on Sunday following a match against the North Carolina Courage in the 14th minute to the screams of 26,516 fans at Snapdragon Stadium chanting her name.
At her best, Morgan played with speed, grace and an unrivaled final touch on the ball in some of the biggest moments winning two world cups, an olympic gold medal and much more.
Off the field she was a face and voice for women’s sports advocating for equal pay, investment in women’s sports and fair policies that treated her fellow players like human beings.
It was emotional as she walked out with her daughter Charlie to listen to the national anthem for the final time as a player. Morgan closed her eyes and cried.
“I feel like I did everything I could have. I left everything on the field. I did everything I ever wanted to and more and with this decision I feel so at peace, because I am ready to start a family,” Morgan said. “I’m ready to hang up the boots and allow the next generation to flourish and just relish in the spotlight.”
Morgan had inspired generations of young girls to play including 16-year-old Wave forward Melanie Barcenas who said after the match, “It’s amazing to be able to share the field with someone you idolize growing up and just knowing she played a big part in the reason why I’m able to step on this field with all these amazing women.”
Morgan said she would play limited minutes, which can mean anything, but she definitely had a bit more motivation to score. Fans erupted anytime she would touch the ball and she took a shot on target from just inside the penalty area that was deflected early on.
Though North Carolina came on early and took advantage of the Wave’s poor set-piece defending. Haley Hopkins made a great run to the top of the box and headed the corner kick in to make it 1-0 in the fourth minute.
Then it seemed like the story would become Morgan’s fairy tale ending. The Wave earned a penalty after a handball inside the box by North Carolina Courage. Who else but the club’s all-time scoring leader to take the penalty.
It seemed destined to be part of a ‘heartwarming moment in sports compilation’ video. Morgan was the greatest at penalty kicks when she started with the Wave in 2022, winning the golden boot and scoring more penalties than anyone in the NWSL that season.
It is not 2022.
This season she has not scored in the NWSL and missed her last penalty opportunity. With all fans in Snapdragon Stadium on their feet Morgan missed with a weak shot to her right that Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy saved with ease.
Wave kept the foot on the pedal and pressed high and eventually earned a corner kick after Morgan kicked a ball off an opposing player. María Sánchez took the corner and sent it to the near post where defender Kennedy Wesley jumped and headed it in to make it 1-1.
Of course it came in the 13th minute. The team celebrated and went back to the half-line.
Then it was time.
The referee blew the whistle for substitutions and the entire crowd began to chant for Alex Morgan. She was visibly overcome with emotion and hugged her teammates and waved goodbye to fans. She took the captain’s armband off and gave it to goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan who motioned for the crowd to give one final cheer.
Morgan took off her boots to hang them up and walk off the pitch for one final time.
Now, the future. Morgan says she's looking to continue her work with her foundation and investment in women’s sports, not coaching.
Where do the Wave stand?
The Wave went on to lose 1-4 as North Carolina scored three more times, once in another set piece opportunity, another after poor defending and a goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Also, Kailen Sheridan earned a red card for a denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity and will be suspended for San Diego’s next match against Utah.
The Wave are seven points away from the final playoff spot with seven matches left to play. Interim head coach Landon Donovan said they’ll probably need five wins to make it. That’s more than they have all season.
Two of the team’s captain’s have left the team in the past month and three crucial attacking players remain on the injured list in Jaedyn Shaw, Savannah McCaskill and Kyra Carusa.
They need a lot of favorable results from the teams ahead of them, but there is still hope with the Concacaf W Champion’s Cup on their schedule. Escaping the group stage can potentially propel them to an eventual club world cup.
It’s time for San Diego to wave goodbye to their playoff hopes along with Morgan.
Alex Morgan announces retirement from professional soccer
San Diego Wave FC captain and star, Alex Morgan celebrates her 2024 NWSL Challenge Cup winning goal. (Photo courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC captain, all-time scorer, and United States Women’s National Team legend, Alex Morgan officially announced her retirement in a social media post on Thursday, September 5.
“It has been a long time coming and this decision wasn’t easy, but at the beginning of 2024 I felt in my heart and soul that this was the last season that I would play soccer,” said Morgan. “Soccer has been a part of me for 30 years and it was one of the first things that I ever loved. I gave everything to this sport and what I got in return is more than I could have ever dreamed of.”
Morgan also announced that her final match will take place on Sunday, September 8, against the North Carolina Courage and is pregnant with her second child.
Morgan began her time in San Diego in 2022 as the second player to join the NWSL’s expansion franchise. That season she led the NWSL in goals scored, was among the league's best XI, a finalist for MVP and led the team to the semifinals of playoffs.
In 2023 Morgan led the Wave in scoring with seven goals, and drove them to a NWSL Shield for holding the best record in the league.
In 2024 Morgan began her Wave season by scoring the game-winning goal in the NWSL Challenge Cup against Gotham FC, but has not scored since.
With the USWNT, Morgan won the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cup including a silver boot in 2019. She is ninth in appearances all-time at 223, fifth in goals at 123 and ninth in assists at 53 with the senior USWNT.
The Wave will host a full press conference with Morgan at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 6, at Snapdragon Stadium.
Wave draw 1-1 against Washington Spirit
San Diego Wave FC defender Kristen McNabb celebrates her equalizing goal against Washington Spirit. (Photo courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC played the Washington Spirit, the second ranked team in the NWSL, to a 1-1 draw at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday in front of an announced crowd of 23,541 fans.
The draw marked the first time they didn’t lose at Snapdragon Stadium since June 7, and extended their NWSL winless streak to 11.
The Wave dominated in possession for the first half, but the Spirit benefited from a defensive miscue by the Wave in the 30th minute.
Washington’s Ouleymata Sarr received a through ball behind the Wave backline sending them all rushing back to defend. Naomi Girma kept Sarr from shooting, but allowed her to send in a dangerous cross into the penalty area. By then the rest of the backline stood ready to defend and Wave center back Kennedy Wesley attempted to clear the ball, but Kristen McNabb had also dropped back to defend and accidentally blocked Wesley’s clearance. The ball deflected right into the goal making it 1-0.
McNabb made up for it not too long after.
In a very similar play to the Wave’s best chances in their last match, Delphine Cascarino displayed excellent individual skill to bring the ball into the final third. Cascarino sent a pass to the outside for Christen Westphal that she attempted to cross, but was blocked for a corner kick.
María Sánchez took the set piece, and much like last match sent in a well placed ball toward the center of the goal box, only this time it found the foot of Kristen McNabb who took one touch then sent it in with her left foot to make it 1-1.
“An own goal is never ideal, so the best way to counteract that is by scoring, so I was pretty pumped,” said McNabb.
The rest of the half saw chances on both sides with all the makings of a late game-winner for either side as is usual in the NWSL, but neither scored in the eight minutes of stoppage time leaving both teams with a point at the end.
“I am unbelievably proud of how far they’ve come. That’s a really good group of players they played against,” Donovan said. “Our buildout was excellent, our pressing was much better than last week, we created a lot of solid opportunities, so the progress has been phenomenal. I really wanted them to win the game, because they deserve it now and it’s unfortunate the way we conceded the goal, but I’m really happy with where the group’s at.”
The Wave remain near the bottom of the table in 12th place out of 14 teams with only eight matches left in the regular season. Four of the matches will be away and four will be at home including their next match on Sunday, September 8, against the fifth-ranked North Carolina Courage.
Wave lose 2-1 against Angel City; extend winless streak to 10
New Wave signing, French forward Delphine Cascarino moves into the final third. Cascarino was one of few bright spots for the Wave attack in their 2-1 loss. (Photo courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC returned to NWSL action on Saturday, August 24, with a 2-1 loss against their Southern California rivals, Angel City FC.
The result extended the Wave’s NWSL regular season winless streak to 10 matches and helped Angel City jump to one point away from the final playoff position, while the Wave are left in 11th place out of 14 teams in the NWSL.
“Judge the performance, not the result. The problem is we need results now, because we’re at the point of the season for it,” interim head coach Landon Donovan said. “It hurts to not get anything out of the game, but there’s so much that they’re going to learn from feeling this, things they did well, things they didn’t do well and were going to grow a lot from a game like this. Now ideally you do it when you win, but we kind of gave away two sloppy goals and that ended up hurting us.”
The Wave had seven players on their injury report ahead of the match including Wave mainstays like Naomi Girma, Jaedyn Shaw, Danielle Colaprico and Savannah McCaskill. The depleted defense and midfield was noted as Angel City moved with ease into dangerous scoring positions.
Angel City’s first goal came in the 20th minute with the help of former Wave midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard. Dougherty Howard moved up the midfield and sent a through ball for Angel City behind the Wave backline.
Hanna Lundkvist stood in the path of the pass, and attempted to control it with a touch but ended up passing it forward. 19-year-old Alyssa Thompson jumped on the opportunity and ran the ball down the pitch with no defenders in front of her. Thompson was patient and waited for Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan to commit to a tackle, which allowed Thompson to pass the ball easily into the back of the net to make it 1-0.
The Wave didn’t manage a shot on goal the entire first half, and less than 10 minutes after the first goal Thompson scored again.
Thompson, seemingly with more speed than anyone on the pitch, ran the ball into the box with ease from the halfway line. She was given space by Wave defenders to cut to her right with ease and make a strong shot on target. Sheridan just managed to hit the shot, but the shot was too strong and found the back of the net to make it 2-0
The Wave continued their offensive struggles through the second half struggling to manage Angel City’s pressure.
Then one of the Wave’s newest signings, French national team forward Delphine Cascarino substituted on for Melanie Barcenas in the 62nd minute as an individual firecracker to the offenses that Angel City struggled to contain. She managed to create multiple great chances and strong shots on target, but none found the back of the net.
“You look a lot better as a coach when you have players like her on the field,” said Donovan of Cascarino.
Her pressure in the final third did eventually help lead to a goal for the Wave. In the seventh minute of stoppage time Cascarino drew a foul at the top of the box for a free kick. María Sánchez took the free kick and sent it to the center of the box for a running Abby Dahlkemper who headed it in with ease to make it 2-1.
The Wave play their next match at home on September 1, in another tough NWSL matchup against the Washington Spirit who are currently third in the NWSL standings with 37 points, while the Wave have 15.
San Diego Wave sign French interNational Perle Morroni
San Diego Wave FC announced on Thursday morning the signing of French international defender Perle Morroni to a contract that extends through the 2026 season.
"Perle (Morroni) is a dynamic, exciting fullback who brings a wealth of experience as well as a winning mentality to San Diego," said San Diego Wave FC Sporting Director and General Manager Camille Ashton in a statement. "We are excited to welcome (Morroni) to San Diego and look forward to her contributions to this team as we look to achieve our goals this season and beyond.”
The 26-year-old began her senior career with Paris Saint-Germain where she made 48 appearances and won one domestic championship, before transferring to Olympique Lyonnais.
At OL across three seasons she won three domestic D1 Arkema championships and the UEFA champions league in 2022.
Morroni has appeared in 11 matches with the senior French national team since 2020 and also represented the French Youth National Team from U-16 to U-23.
Morroni will join four other fullbacks and occupy the final international roster spot on the Wave’s roster and join the team pending the receipt of an international transfer certificate and a P-1 visa.
The Wave play their first NWSL match since the Paris Olympics on Saturday, August 24, against their Southern California rivals Angel City FC.
Landon Donovan to take over as interim head coach of San Diego Wave FC
San Diego Wave FC is set to announce Landon Donovan as the new Interim head coach of San Diego Wave FC.
Sources tell Sandiego.Futbol that former U.S. men’s national team star Landon Donovan will be named interim head coach of San Diego Wave FC Friday, August 16.
Paul Buckle will transition out of the position following his summer commitment to the club. Buckle took over after the club fired its first head coach Casey Stoney on June 24, amid a disappointing start to the 2024 season and a seven-match winless streak.
During Buckle’s five-match stint he implemented a 4-2-4 formation to be more conducive to an attacking style of play, but the Wave still struggled to score: resulting in one win, three losses and one draw.
Donovan was a decorated international star for the U.S. men’s national team as the all-time leader in assists and tied with Clint Dempsey for most goals scored. He also leads Major League Soccer in all-time assists and has the Most Valuable Player award named after him.
Donovan announced his retirement from soccer multiple times, but his professional playing career didn’t end until 2019 with the MASL’s San Diego Sockers.
In 2018 Donovan was part of unsuccessful efforts to build a soccer-specific stadium for an MLS team in Mission Valley where Snapdragon Stadium now stands.
He later joined an ownership group that brought a new USL Championship soccer team to San Diego called San Diego Loyal SC. Donovan was named the team’s first manager in November, 2019, prior to their start in 2020.
Donovan was a first-time manager whose tactics were mostly handled by assistant coach Nate Miller. His record across three seasons was 39W-30L-17D before he transitioned to a role in the front office as the Vice President of Soccer Operations for the 2023 season.
His most notable moment with the club came in 2020 when the Loyal forfeited their last two matches and walked off the field in protest of homophobic and racist remarks directed toward players on the team. First when a player on LA Galaxy II used a racist slur on the field, and second when a Phoenix Rising player directed a homophobic slur at an openly gay player Collin Martin. The two forfeits kept the Loyal out of the playoffs that season, but garnered them national attention for standing against racism and homophobia in sports.
Most recently Donovan worked in broadcasting as an analyst on Fox for the 2024 UEFA European Championship.
Donovan will join the team on the sidelines for their first match in the Concacaf W Champions Cup on August 20, against Santa Fe FC in Panama City, Panama.
The Wave will play their next home match on August 24, in the return to the NWSL regular season against their Southern California rivals, Angel City FC.
Wave knocked out of Summer cup
San Diego Wave FC tie Southern California rivals Angel City 0-0 at CSU Fullerton’s Titan Stadium. (Photo courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC were officially knocked out of the Summer Cup following a losing penalty shootout and scoreless draw against their Southern California rival Angel City FC.
“That was a top performance and at halftime I was fearful that we couldn’t maintain it, because normally when you have that much dominance it can switch,” Buckle said. “We looked like we were gonna win it, all but for a fabulous save from the keeper when young Mel comes on. We got creative at the corner which I loved. Given our changes, given how many players we have away at the Olympics, still to come here and get a draw is a top performance.”
The Wave employed a much higher press than normal that gave Angel City the possession advantage, but kept them from building great play.
The best offensive opportunities came in the second half with great shots by 16-year-old forward Melanie Barcenas. Barcenas came on in the 60th minute and played the 10 role instead of on the wings, which gave her more chances to facilitate positive offensive chances.
Though neither side managed to put one in the back of the net, sending the game into a penalty shootout because of the tournament style of the Summer Cup that assigns point totals to draws through penalty kicks.
Angel City went first in the shootout and made all five of their chances against Wave goalkeeper Morgan Messner. The players included Claire Emslie, Alyssa Thompson, Raquel Rodriguez, Kennedy Fuller and a returning Christen Press.
The Wave’s second shot-taker Amirah Ali shot was saved as she sent it weakly within reach of the goalkeeper DiDi Haracic. Three other Wave players made their shot including Savannah McCaskill, Makenzy Doniak and Melanie Barcenas.
The Wave will play their next match in the Concacaf W Champions Cup against Santa Fe FC in Panama City, Panama on August 20. Their next home match will be against Angel City FC on Saturday, August 24 in the return to the NWSL regular season.
Jill Ellis files defamation lawsuit against former employee
San Diego Wave FC president Jill Ellis filed a legal complaint alleging defamation against former Wave video and creative manager Brittany Alvarado on Monday, July 29, 2024.
The filing stems from claims made by Alvarado in social media posts to Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, on July 3, 2024. The posts alleged discrimination and abuse perpetrated by leadership in the club, and specifically called on the NWSL to remove Jill Ellis from Wave FC.
The filing opens with a preliminary statement that called Alvarado’s claims about Ellis “completely false and defamatory.”
“(Alvarado) voluntarily resigned, and then undertook a completely unexpected and malicious campaign to defame Ellis and destroy her hard-earned stellar reputation and livelihood, with highly damaging and scandalous allegations, falsely accusing Ellis… of ‘abusive leadership’ and ‘life-altering and devastating’ mistreatment and behaviors that have allegedly ‘compromised’ the lives and mental health of the club’s employees.”
The 23-page document goes on to allege that an email published by Alvarado was fabricated and that she “is responsible for, took a responsible part in, was actively involved with, and/or materially contributed to the generation, creation, publication, and/or illegality of the fake emails and text message or contributed to generation, and/or illegality of the fake emails and text message.”
The document goes on to describe Alvarado’s time as an employee of the club saying the Wave “had serious issues with Alavarado’s performance and conduct from the beginning of her employment with the team.”
The legal complaint gives examples of multiple alleged instances of Alvarado fraternizing with players which violated the club’s rule to maintain professional boundaries with players. It specifically described instances on October 15, 2023, when the team won the NWSL Shield, about Alvarado celebrating alongside players instead of capturing the moment on video.
The complaint said among the damages Ellis faces included “a long-time sponsor to cancel a previously scheduled speaking engagement with Ellis; another organization to cease negotiations for Ellis to present a keynote address at an event in September; and the postponement of an honorary degree from a prestigious university.”
Wave outclassed in 2-0 defeat against Club America
Wave goalkeeper Morgan Messner made her NWSL debut in the Wave’s 2-0 loss against Club America. Messner saved a free kick from a dangerous position on goal against Club America. (Photos courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC lost 2-0 against Liga MX side Club America in their second matchup of the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup at Snapdragon Stadium on Friday night.
Club America Mexican style of soccer provided a wrinkle the Wave had never faced before. Club America was faster and more confident with the ball on the attack with a high press that the Wave struggled to counter.
The Wave are still without many international players due to the Olympics, and lost multiple starters like Kennedy Wesley, Mya Jones and Kyra Carusa to injury.
One of the bright spots on the Wave was their third-string goalkeeper Morgan Messner who made multiple key saves from tough shots on goal.
“(Messner) was amazing, absolutely amazing. To come in at any time as a third-choice keeper is hard, let alone the day before, and she was ready, she made great saves,” Buckle said. “ I was disappointed for her that we conceded like we did, because maybe if it had gone to penalties it might have been her night, but she can be very very proud of her performance.”
Messner replaced Hillary Beal who Buckle said after the match broke a bone in her foot after kicking the goal post following a penalty kick save last week.
Messner took advantage of the opportunity, but her goalkeeping only kept them alive for so long as America came through in the 78th minute. It came during a corner kick set piece that the Wave defended poorly as multiple defenders were alone in the box allowing Karen Luna to run and jump into the perfect position to head the ball in making it 1-0.
The Wave kept the pressure on after the goal which created many chances and earned set piece opportunities in the opposing final third, but their high press left them overly exposed on the defensive end.
The Aguilas goalkeeper sent a long ball far while the Wave were high up letting the opposition flick a header backwards for forward Kiana Palacios who took advantage of a one on one opportunity and sent it into the back of the net to make it 2-0.
The Wave finish their group stage of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil next week in an away match on Thursday, August 1, against Angel City FC at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan stadium.
Wave end nine match winless streak in 3-1 victory over Bay FC
María Sánchez celebrates after scoring in San Diego Wave FC’s 3-1 victory over Bay FC in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. (Photo courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC ended their nine match winless streak on Saturday, July 20 with a 3-1 victory against Bay FC at Torero Stadium in the first match of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.
“I wondered when (the win) was going to come. All night we were ambitious, wanted to take the ball off them as much as we could and create chances and we did that, and we converted,” Interim head coach Paul Buckle said. “I’m delighted with three goals and I'm delighted for Hillary (Beall) with the penalty save, it’s big at that point, and I think we were exciting and that’s what I’ve wanted.”
The first goal started thanks to an error by Bay FC’s rookie goalkeeper Emmie Allen. Allen couldn’t control a weak cross from outside the box forcing a corner kick. The set piece strategy worked to perfection as María Sánchez sent a perfect cross to Kennedy Wesley that Wesley headed in for the rookie’s first professional goal. Abby Dahlkemper worked the play to perfection as she drew a Bay FC defender away from Wesley giving her a clearer look on goal.
“We practiced set pieces a lot and it comes down to the timing and the execution. (Sanchez) played in a perfect ball just like we worked on in practice and(Dahlkemper) had a great run to draw a couple of defenders,” Wesley said. “It came right to my head and I was able to put it away. It took a lot of practice and I’m super glad we were able to execute it together.”
The second goal happened again with questionable goalkeeping by Bay FC in the 53rd minute. Sánchez took the ball down the field and sent a cross toward the far goal post, but the Bay goalkeeper was unable to punch the ball away making it 2-0.
“It’s not the way I pictured to score, but it obviously feels good to score,” Sánchez said. “I’ve been on the team for quite a few games now and not being able to score can bring you down sometimes, but I think having that in this tournament and finally getting one in the back of the net helps a lot moving forward.”
The Wave conceded a goal in the 62nd minute with a goalkeeper error of their own by Hillary Beall. Beall received a pass from one of her defenders, but cleared the ball poorly. A Bay FC forward rushed the sailing ball and easily moved forward before kicking the ball in easily to make it 2-1.
Beall redeemed herself later on in the final minutes of the match by saving a penalty kick in the dying minutes of the match which could prove important with tiebreakers in tournament play.
The Wave’s third goal came in the 80th minute with great team play in the final third that moved the ball to the opposite side of the pitch before sending it into the center of the box. Amirah Ali received the pass from Elyse Bennett and followed through on her initial shot to make it a final score of 3-1
The win marks the first win since May 8, 2024 and the latest time the Wave scored three goals in a match since May 20, 2023.
“Yeah, I think (the win) helps a lot moving forward. I think we’ve obviously struggled the last few games,” forward María Sánchez said. “The feeling of having fun and winning a game helps us so much, so I think a game like this can help the team moving forward be more confident and have more fun.”
The Wave continue on in the Summer Cup at home next week when they face Liga MX Femenil powerhouse Club America at Snapdragon Stadium.
Wave extend winless streak to nine
Alex Morgan takes a shot at the top of the box. Morgan has not scored a goal in the 2024 season.(Photo credit: San Diego Wave FC)
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — San Diego Wave FC lost 1-0 against the fifth-place Portland Thorns at Providence Park on Friday, July 5.
The loss extends their winless streak to nine matches and their last three matches without a goal scored.
“I’m gutted, I’m absolutely gutted for the players, for the staff, our fans, because we’ve got nothing for our troubles in the last few games,” interim head coach Paul Buckle said. “We’ve put an awful lot of effort in both games, we’ve created chances and again tonight.”
The Wave out possessed the Thorns and played with a strong press, but left themselves open to many counter-attacking opportunities throughout the match that eventually forced a mistake by the Wave’s defense.
The best opportunity for the Wave came in the 38th minute following a set piece opportunity in the opposition's final third. Makenzy Doniak recovered a deflection from outside the box and sent a cross in the air in front of the goal. No Wave players could reach the ball in the air, but María Sánchez managed to tap the ball back into the middle where Alex Morgan stood to tap it into the back of the net.
However, the referee quickly called the play offsides. She waited for some time to determine the call was correct according to the VAR officials, and confirmed her decision.
“The goal, I didn’t think was offside,” Buckle said. “I’ve seen (that) moment a million times in football and straight away I thought Alex (Morgan) was behind the play, and I’ve had several texts to confirm that. If that goes in it’s a different game, and there’s is tight and they get it.”
Portland’s strong offense finally took advantage of defensive mistakes by the Wave in the 85th minute after multiple defenders were unable to fully clear the ball. Janine Becky, who had been putting forth a strong effort throughout the match, received a pass down the right side of the pitch and sent a perfect cross to Izzy D’Aquilla making a run inside the box. D’Aquila put it in through the legs of Kailen Sheridan to make it 1-0.
Just minutes earlier the Wave’s 16-year-old forward came on as a substitute and nearly made magic happen. She received a great long pass from Savannah McCaskill before taking a touch to control the ball, then sent a strong shot on goal directly to the goalkeeper who managed to punch it away for a corner kick.
The Wave will take a break from regular season NWSL action before playing in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. Their first match will mark a return to the Wave’s first home, Torero Stadium, against Bay FC on July 20.
Wave lose another late heartbreaker
Emily Van Egmond defends in San Diego Wave’s 2-1 loss against Gotham FC at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey. (Photo courtesy: San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC gave up their second consecutive stoppage time goal, this time against NJ/NY Gotham FC in a 2-1 loss at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.
San Diego Wave FC gave up a goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time on Saturday in a 1-1 draw against the Washington Spirit and repeated their mistake on Wednesday night against Gotham FC in the eight minute of stoppage time to lose 2-1.
“It’s devastating to lose to another late goal,” said head coach Casey Stoney about the loss.
The loss broke a record for the Wave’s longest winless streak in the NWSL regular season now at six matches. Their longest winless streak across all competitions occurred last season starting in June which lasted nine matches across all competitions.
Gotham dominated nearly the entire first half, but the Wave defense managed to hold on in the central position forcing their opposition to play wider, but eventually made a serious error in the third minute of stoppage time after they had just turned over the ball.
USWNT mainstay Rose Lavelle had the ball in a counter attacking opportunity and was given too much space to run the ball to the top of the box and send a screeching shot that curved past the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
The Wave offense was highlighted by rookie Mya Jones on the right wing who applied a high press throughout the match to force the Gotham defense to make good plays to stop her.
Jones’ high press eventually worked to perfection to start the second half as she took advantage of a misplayed pass by Gotham goalkeeper Ann Berger. After Jones intercepted the pass she had a one-on-one opportunity against a defender who she quickly bypassed before sending the shot in to equalize at 1-1 in the 48th minute
“I don’t think there’s anything I can say at the end of the game. I think to feel like that twice in a matter of days, there’s nothing I can do to recover, it’s about what we do now to make things better,” Stoney said. “The message was that we have to collectively now look at how we can improve and it’s my responsibility to make the team better.”
Maycee Bell scored the game-winner with a perfect first touch in a very difficult play where she wrapped her leg around a Wave defender inside the box before smashing the goal in toward the far post to make it the final score of 2-1.
Prior to the goal there had been an extended waiting period to determine whether or not the play would be subject to a VAR review. Stoney said after the match that it “must have been an inexperienced person on VAR today.”
The Wave have one more match on the road on Saturday, June 22, against the Houston Dash. Their next home match won’t be until Friday, June 28 when they face the Chicago Red Stars.
Zepeda: Wave caught in a rip current; happy father’s day to Chucky Lozano
Wave celebrate Jaedyn Shaw goal against Washington Spirit in 1-1 draw. (Photo courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
Many things happened in the world of San Diego soccer this week and I have a lot of stuff on mind. My name’s Abraham Zepeda and welcome to my new Sunday opinion column about the beautiful game in America’s Finest City.
San Diego Wave FC extended their winless streak to five matches with their draw last night against the Washington Spirit. The Wave led from the 20th minute thanks to the road roommate pairing of Maria Sanchez and Jaedyn Shaw, but conceded a goal at the death.
Now I’m exhausted from all the ocean puns used to talk about this club, but there is no other way to say it.
The Wave are caught in a rip current. Swimming with plenty of force, but stuck in the same exact place and being pulled further from shore at the same time.
They’ve already matched their five total draws from the 2023 season, and their only wins are against the bottom three teams in the NWSL. Every other match has been a loss or a draw featuring a lackluster offense that lacks an ability to score.
They are tied for second-to-last in goals scored this season, but tied for second in goals conceded, so no blame should go toward the defense.
Center back Naomi Girma put on a defensive show to stop the electricity that Trinity Rodman brings to an attack. Danielle Colaprico played great as a center defensive midfielder stopping Washington’s momentum and distributing the ball well up the pitch.
The lone goal by Washington started with an amazing long pass by Casey Krueger to the final third. Abby Dahlkeper tried to head the ball away but it deflected toward the NWSL rookie standout Croix Bethune. Bethune got a great first touch with her chest to control the ball before shooting it past Kailen Sheridan in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
How do you escape a rip current? You swim parallel to the beach.
Wave head coach Casey Stoney has said all season they need to create more chances and be better in the final third. That seems like a start.
“It just feels like we can’t catch a break, but you make your own luck.,” Stoney said after the match. “We’ll keep working, we'll keep trying to do the right things. Hopefully the tide will turn, because the players deserve more tonight. They gave absolutely everything and emptied the tank. I can’t ask anything more of them.”
I agree, but I don’t think the tide will turn. It’s time to swim out and catch up because the top teams in the NWSL are already busy shredding the gnar.
San Diego FC’s marquee signing Hirving “Chucky” Lozano greets fans at Rady’s Shell event Thursday night. (Photo by Ryan Young)
I hadn’t really bought in on the dream San Diego FC is selling.
Is this $500 million franchise actually going to change the San Diego sports landscape? Will they compete and consistently bring exciting players in, or sell all their developed academy players to elsewhere?
Are young fans going to fall for SDFC’s version of a young Adrián González just for him to leave in the prime of their career?
Maybe all that is too cynical.
I couldn’t help but buy in on the vision after watching an emotional Hirving “Chucky” Lozano cry at his introductory press conference on Thursday morning.
Lozano’s signing was officially announced on June 6. He signed a four-year contract through the 2028 MLS season and would be the first designated player in San Diego FC history.
I sat there at Snapdragon Stadium expecting another typical SDFC press event that would wax on about the potential of the Right to Dream academy and some brief words from Lozano about his belief in the project and excitement to join the club.
But what we got was perfect.
Lozano was being introduced via a video of SDFC Chairman and owner Mohamed Mansour. Lozano looked out at a full crowd of media with his family and friends in the front row, including his two children, and began to cry as the emotions of the moment came over him.
We need more raw emotions in sports, it’s a beautiful thing. Thank you Hirving “Chucky” Lozano.
So, what makes it a happy Father’s Day for the 28-year-old Mexican superstar?
One of Lozano’s first guests to walk out was former head coach of la Selección Mexicana and Liga MX’s Pachuca Enrique Meza.
TJ Sports’ Alejandro Guzman asked a great question about what it meant to have 76-year-old Enrique Meza, Lozano’s first professional coach at Pachuca, in attendance and what advice he had given Lozano when he made his debut against Liga MX powerhouse Club América.
Lozano began to answer the question, but his voice broke and tears ran down his face as he recalled what Meza meant to him. He called Meza his father figure in the game of soccer and said he has had beautiful conversations with him since he since he left Mexico to play in Europe.
“I have so much love for him,” Lozano said. “The truth is there aren’t words to describe (our relationship.) He has supported me from the beginning, and I have many beautiful memories about him.”
Lozano also recounted the advice from Meza in his professional debut at Estadio Azteca.
“‘Kid don’t worry. Play like you’ve been playing. Forget about everything happening in the stadium and play like you know how to play,’” Meza said.
Thank you to all the parents and parental figures in the game of fútbol.
Oh, and hosting the biggest MLS introduction for a player since Lionel Messi sold out Inter Miami’s stadium puts a nice feather in SDFC’s cap.
It looked a lot cooler too.
Photos by Ryan Young