COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Nothing was going right for San Diego Wave FC in the first 45 minutes. The visitors were sloppy in possession, too open in their press, and found themselves staring at a 2-0 halftime deficit on the road in Colorado. By the end of the night, they had pulled off something no Wave team had ever done before.
San Diego rallied from two goals down to defeat Denver Summit FC 3-2 on Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, scoring three unanswered second-half goals to claim the franchise's first-ever come-from-behind win following a halftime deficit — and extend their club-record winning streak to five matches.
It was the kind of result that teams point to for years. And the players and coaching staff knew it the moment the final whistle sounded.
"I'm so proud of the team's bravery in going out doing that,” said head coach Jonas Eidevall when asked about the team’s halftime adjustments. “We're showing composure. We're turning this game around our way."
The team celebrates the greatest comeback in team history. Credit: Wave FC
A Rough Start
Denver came out with a clear identity and punished a Wave side that never found its rhythm in the opening half. Melissa Kössler broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, and Natasha Flint scored again for the Summit in the 32nd minute, leaving San Diego with a mountain to climb.
Summit were the better team for long stretches of the half.
"I think we were overcomplicating things for ourselves,” said rookie defender Mimi Van Zanten. “(We) weren't playing the usual soccer that we've … been having success with. Going in at halftime and reminding ourselves what we're capable of… (That's) what really shifted that game for us."
Eidevall took responsibility for the tactical issues at halftime, citing a pressing structure that left too much space for Denver's attackers. The halftime message was direct: fix the press, and trust the process.
A Second Half for the History Books
San Diego emerged from the locker room a transformed team. Where the first half was tentative, the second was decisive, and rookie midfielder Lia Godfrey was at the center of everything.
The comeback began in the 49th minute when Godfrey and Kimmi Ascanio linked up on a sharp give-and-go. Godfrey finished into the far post to make it 2-1, her fourth goal of the 2026 season, and a club record for a rookie.
Eight minutes later, the Wave were level. Godfrey delivered a pinpoint corner kick to the near post, where Wesley rose above her defender and powered a header into the net. It was the captain's first goal of the season, and it set the stage for the finish.
The winning goal arrived in the 65th minute, courtesy of the Wave's relentless pressure. Forward Dudinha beat her defender to the endline and drove a low cross. A Denver defender could only redirect it into her own net, giving San Diego a 3-2 lead they did not relinquish.
It was a fitting end to a comeback built on pressure, patience, and belief, all of which the Wave had once they sorted themselves out at the break.
Game highlights. Credit: San Diego Wave FC
Godfrey Makes History Again
Lia Godfrey is turning heads in her debut professional season. With her goal and assist against Denver, she became the first San Diego rookie to record a goal and an assist in the same match while also setting the club record for most goals by a rookie, with four on the season.
Ascanio's assist on the opener was her second of the year, while midfielder Kenza Dali continued her remarkable run of form, making her 32nd consecutive appearance for the club, a new record. Forward Trinity Byars also made her season debut.
Kennedy Wesley scored off a corner from Lia Godrey to tie the game. Credit: Wave FC
Wesley: Leader On and Off the Pitch
When playing for the US Women’s National Team against Japan on April 17, Wesley scored and had an assist at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, and she scored again there on Saturday at exactly the right moment. Her header in the 57th minute, set up perfectly by Godfrey's delivery, drew San Diego level at 2-2 and shifted the momentum of the match.
Eidevall was effusive in his praise of his center back, sharing that she leads by example. Wesley, in turn, pointed to the collective character of the group as the key ingredient in the turnaround.
"I think there's a certain energy in this group that maybe I haven't seen before,” said Wesley. “The grit, effort, self-belief… coming together in the second half. I'm super proud of this group."
Wesley also praised defensive partner Kristen McNabb, who made several crucial plays, including a goal-line clearance, that helped preserve the lead.
Van Zanten, who recognized that Denver's physicality would be a threat before the match, said the key switch at halftime was mental as much as tactical. "Our mindset, reminding ourselves that we're capable of putting up a fight and winning those 50/50 balls or aerial duels," Van Zanten said. "…making sure that we were not making the same mistakes that we made in the first half."
Defender Kristen McNabb. Credit: Wave FC
What It Means
With five wins and one loss through six matches, the Wave sit atop the NWSL standings one-fifth of the way through the season. More than the record, though, Saturday's result sends a message about who this team is.
For the first time in franchise history (0-23-6 previously), San Diego won a game in which they trailed at halftime. That alone is a milestone. Combined with the record winning streak, the individual milestones for Godfrey, Dali, and others, and the manner of the victory, this was a night the Wave faithful will remember.
Eidevall's closing thought on Denver's expansion side was both generous and revealing. He called Summit one of the toughest opponents in the league, praised their roster construction, and applauded the atmosphere at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. But he also knows his team just found something in Colorado that will carry them forward.
"It's going to be like this in this league, coming into tough times and tough moments,” said Eidevall. “We have a moment like this that we can build on, to be able to come back … from a game where we didn’t start well performance-wise and be able to turn it around.”
Select Match Stats
Possession: SD Wave 57% | Denver Summit 43%
Shots: SD Wave 8 | Denver Summit 9
Shots on Goal: SD Wave 4 | Denver Summit 4
Blocked Shots: SD Wave 1 | Denver Summit 2
Total Passes: SD Wave 468 | Denver Summit 356
Passing Accuracy: SD Wave 80% | Denver Summit 78%
Corners: SD Wave 4 | Denver Summit 2
Crosses: SD Wave 13 | Denver Summit 8
Offsides: SD Wave 3 | Denver Summit 0
Duels Won: SD Wave 30 | Denver Summit 28
Saves: SD Wave 1 | Denver Summit 2
Up Next
San Diego hosts the Portland Thorns on Wednesday, April 29 at Providence Park. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network.
