SAN DIEGO - San Diego Wave FC struck early, burying a goal in the first two minutes and keeping the pressure high to power past the Portland Thorns with a 3-1 win at home on Wednesday night.
“Kenza (Dali), Gia (Corley), Lia (Godfrey) and Kimmi (Ascanio) in the midfield, I thought that was a really strong performance," said Wave head coach Jonas Eidevall. "If we talk about our midfield as a unit, it’s by far the best performance that we’ve had so far.”
The match opened with immediate energy as Dudinha found the back of the net in just the second minute, finishing off of an assist from Gia Corley to give the Wave a 1-0 lead. Portland responded quickly, as Pietra Tordin clinched a goal in the eighth minute to level the game at 1-1.
Melanie Barcenas celebrates after scoring. Credit: Wave FC Media
With both San Diego Wave and the Portland Thorns entering the match riding momentum from wins earlier this week, analysts predicted a competitive game. Both sides continued to apply pressure offensively in the first half. A key defensive moment from the Wave came in the 25th minute, with a header clearance to defend a Thorns cross near the box. Just a minute later, the Wave pushed ahead as Lia Godfrey capitalized off an assist from Dudinha to restore the Wave’s lead at 2-1 in the twenty sixth minute.
The Wave stayed aggressive for the remainder of the half. Dudinha remained a constant threat offensively, even appearing to draw a foul outside the Thorn's box in the 31st minute. The foul went uncalled, and instead resulted in a drop ball. In the 37th minute, high pressure from the Wave led to a shot from Dudinha that resulted in a Wave corner. Portland cleared the corner and after three minutes of added time, the Wave carried their 2-1 lead into halftime.
Leah Freeman made key saves in Wednesday’s match. Credit: Wave FC
The second half delivered chances on both sides, starting in the 54th minute when Wave keeper Leah Freeman denied a Portland header. Physical play ramped up, and the Thorns picked up a yellow card in the 60th minute. Moments later, Portland fouled Dudinha, earning the Wave a free kick just outside the 18, but Thorns keeper Morgan Messner came up with the save.
In the 77th minute, San Diego substituted Melanie Barcenas in for Dudinha. Freeman followed with a clutch one-on-one save in the 79th minute, and the Wave capitalized soon after. In the 81st minute, Barcenas buried her shot to extend San Diego’s lead to 3–1.
The Wave continued to generate chances late, including a near miss in the 85th minute and another shot in the 90th minute. Portland pushed for an attempt at a late comeback in the 87th and 88th minutes, but Freeman came up with key saves for the Wave to maintain control. Additional substitutions including Nya Harrison and Jordan Fusco coming in for the Wave helped to keep the energy high and close out the match competitively. San Diego Wave’s early start, relentless pressure, defensive aptitude and fresh legs off the bench sealed the win over Portland.
With the victory, San Diego reinforces its identity as a team capable of delivering in high intensity matchups, with both a clinical attack, composed defense, and tactical strength in the midfield, showcasing a strong foundation to build on as the season continues.
Notable
Rookie Godfrey has scored a goal in each of the past two games. "It's been a really good transition from college to pro here in San Diego and credit to the staff, the players, the team," she said. "They've made it so seamless for me. Just in terms of the competitive and welcoming environment that we have here in San Diego.”
Local Barcenas has made her mark after missing most of the 2025 season with an injury. "Going into this game I was a little bit nervous but just being surrounded by such positivity and confidence going into this half from the players, my teammates, everything just made me a lot more confident," said Barcnas. "It hasn’t been easy."
