LOUISVILLE, Ky. - San Diego Wave FC defeated Racing Louisville FC 2-0 Friday at Lynn Family Stadium, moving into second place in the NWSL standings with 48 points.
The win set new single-season club records for both wins and points, as San Diego improved to 15W-8L-3D on the season. The Wave also earned their seventh away win of the season, another club record.
Racing Louisville fell to 7-17-2 and was officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. Louisville has now lost six consecutive matches, the longest losing streak in club history.
San Diego came out controlling possession early, holding 65% of the ball in the first half while recording 11 shots, four on target and more than 100 additional passes than Louisville.
Trinity Byars nearly opened the scoring in the 11th minute, but Louisville goalkeeper Jordan Bloomer kept the game scoreless. A minute later, Kayla Fischer appeared to put Louisville ahead on a breakaway, but the goal was ruled offside.
Gia Corley eventually broke through in the 27th minute for her second goal of the season.
After Byars flicked the ball to Lia Godfrey, Godfrey played a perfectly timed through ball to Corley. Corley carried the ball across the box before placing her shot into the corner of the net.
Corley said the goal came from continuing to make the right runs and trusting that the opportunity would eventually come.
“You always have to make the run and you always try to find the pass,” Corley said. “Then one time it’s going to work out like this and then we’re happy.”
San Diego nearly doubled its lead in stoppage time before the half ended when Byars got behind the Louisville defense. Her shot was heading toward the left corner, but Bloomer made an impressive one-handed save to keep Louisville within one.
Byars rolled her ankle on the play and received treatment before returning to the field. She was replaced by Ludmila at halftime.
Sandra Paños saving a shot. Credit: Wave FC Media
The change did not slow down San Diego’s attack.
Ludmila doubled the Wave’s lead in the 49th minute for her third goal of the season. Kenza Dali flicked a through ball to Corley, whose shot was blocked by a Louisville defender. Ludmila reacted quickly to the rebound and sent her shot into the left corner.
San Diego continued creating chances through Corley, repeatedly finding the midfielder with through balls on the left side. Corley also nearly set up another goal in the 56th minute when she played a short pass to Dali, whose attempt nearly went through Bloomer’s legs before the goalkeeper made the save.
Dali entered the match having scored the game-winning goal in San Diego’s previous meeting with Louisville, which has been her only goal of the season.
San Diego made several substitutions throughout the second half, with Laila Harbert replacing Kimmi Ascanio in the 57th minute and Gabi Portilho replacing Godfrey in the 68th. Barbara Bonansea made her Wave debut in the 81st minute, replacing Corley, while Brooklyn Courtnall came on for Perle Morroni.
Bonansea nearly created a third goal late in the match. In the 89th minute, she carried the ball up the field and drew Louisville defenders toward her before laying it off to Portilho. Portilho’s shot was saved by Bloomer.
Louisville continued searching for a way back into the match. In the 73rd minute, 17-year-old Audrey McKeen hit the left post following a cross from Emma Sears.
The hosts also came close in stoppage time. Louisville earned a free kick just outside the box in the 91st minute, creating a dangerous opportunity. The cross found Mirann Gacioch, whose shot deflected off Sandra Paños and Kennedy Wesley before hitting the crossbar and bouncing away.
Paños finished the night with another strong performance in goal. San Diego entered the match having allowed the third-fewest goals in the league and recorded its sixth clean sheet of the season.
The Wave also became the only NWSL team this season to have not allowed a second-half stoppage-time goal.
San Diego finished the match with 59% possession, 20 shots and nine shots on target. Louisville recorded 12 shots but managed only one on target.
With the victory, San Diego moved into second place with 48 points, three behind first-place Gotham FC.
The Wave will now look to build on the club-record win total as the regular season continues.
