The San Diego Wave delivered a clinical road performance to secure a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Stars, neutralizing the threat of Mallory Swanson's offensive notoriety. The Wave bookended the match flawlessly, striking early with a third-minute opener from Dudinha before Trinity Byars sealed the three points deep into stoppage time. With this crucial victory, San Diego enters the NWSL international break recapturing the No. 1 spot in the standings with 25 points.
San Diego's clinical road victory over Chicago perfectly illustrates the tactical consistency that have defined their campaign so far. The Wave have set the standard by dominating possession, utilizing young talent, and today they capitalized on critical moments as displayed in their performance against the Stars. Here’s what we’ve noticed.
Brazillian Flair: Dudinha
The 20-year-old São Paulo native is the Wave’s leading goalscorer with five goals on the season, consistently capitalizing on the front foot to spearhead the attack. Her impact was on immediate display against Chicago, where she buried a third-minute opener off an assist from Lia Godfrey. Exceptionally active and aggressive in the final third, Dudinha constantly demands the ball and makes lightning-fast decisions under pressure. The flair and creativity she brings to the frontline were polished during her time with São Paulo FC and while representing Brazil at various youth international levels. She has rightfully established herself as one of the most exciting forwards to watch in the league today.
The System: Jonas Eidevall
Now in his second year steering the Wave, head coach Jonas Eidevall has anchored the program in a relentless, work-hard mentality. The Swedish professional, who previously managed Women’s Super League giants Arsenal from 2021 to 2024, brought with him a simple philosophy: "There's only one ball, and it's our ball. We want to have it." This uncompromising identity has been fully embraced by the San Diego squad. Against Chicago, the Wave’s high-pressure and high-paced possession game was effectively demonstrated, allowing them to pin the opposition back, dominate the attacking third, and comfortably lead the match in possession (56%), total shots (17 to 10), and shots on target (7 to 3).
Photo Credit: Miguel Mejia/Miguel Mejia Photography
Controlling the Tempo
This commitment to dictate the tempo is precisely what fueled San Diego’s impressive start of eight wins across their first 13 matches. Under Eidevall’s system, losing the possession battle is a rarity. Nearly all of their victories this season have come when they controlled the possession of the game. Compared to last season, the team has evolved into a much more cohesive, fluid unit. They have adapted to become incredibly comfortable playing out of tight spaces, showcasing a tactical maturity that allows them to seamlessly bypass defensive obstacles.
The Rising Generation
A massive catalyst for the Wave's success is the influx of dynamic young talent, injecting skill, energy, and fearlessness into the team. In the heart of the midfield, 18-year-old Kimmi Ascanio has already drawn comparisons to a young Tobin Heath for her dazzling footwork and creative talents. Matching that technical brilliance is 18-year-old Melanie Barcenas, who brings both attacking spark and dynamic footwork in 1v1 situations, making her incredibly difficult to mark, at times even shaking experienced defenders. Additionally, there is 20-year-old Mimi Van Zanten, whose composure adds to a vibrant young core group that refuses to play like rookies.
Motivated Under Pressure
One of the team's most defining traits is their collective composure under pressure. When opponents attempt to press high, the Wave excels at breaking the trap by quickly switching the field to exploit the weak side. This press resistance is heavily supported by the backline. Because the forwards and midfielders dominate territory so effectively, the defense faces fewer direct actions per game, yet they remain highly synchronized. The defensive line provides constant depth and coverage from behind, acting as a reliable outlet to reset the play. Their disciplined positioning ensures that the ball is always well-covered, as displayed in this game against Chicago, when some of their star subs entered the second half, the Wave was able to neutralize transition threats early.
Next Up
San Diego Wave FC and the Portland Thorns FC will play an exhibition match on June 28 at 4 p.m. PT at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon.
Following the international break, the Wave will host NY Gotham FC at Snapdragon Stadium on July 4 at 5:45 PM. The match will stream live on ION. Purchase tickets here!
Top Photo: Miguel Mejia/Miguel Mejia Photography
