North Carolina Courage 1–2 San Diego Wave FC, NWSL Matchday 25

North Carolina Courage v San Diego Wave FC

North Carolina Courage8th 42 pts

V. Bøe Risa 83′

1

1–2

Full time

Sat 17 Oct

Expected goals: North Carolina Courage 1.23, San Diego Wave FC 1.61

San Diego Wave FC2nd 54 pts

M. Barcenas 4′
T. Byars 52′

2

Sat 17 Oct, 7:00 pm EDT First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park NWSL 2026, Matchday 25

The match story

Ashley Sanchez portrait — Courtesy North Carolina Courage

NWSL News

Ashley Sanchez returns as a scorer, and a link for others

Sanchez’s Courage season has brought more frequent shooting. Her return against Spain also showed the value of moving the ball on.

17 October 2026

Key moments

4′Goal M. Barcenas (San Diego Wave FC)0–1
52′Goal T. Byars (San Diego Wave FC)0–2
83′Goal V. Bøe Risa (North Carolina Courage)1–2

Top performers

North Carolina Courage

V. Bøe RisaNCshirt 26, came off the bench1G1SH
A. SanchezMNCshirt 20G4SH
BiaNCshirt 21, came off the bench0G2SH

San Diego Wave

T. ByarsFSDshirt 151G3SH
M. BarcenasMSDshirt 71G2SH
L. FazerSDshirt 18, came off the bench0G3SH

Three per club, chosen from the match record: goals, then shots.

What it means

North Carolina Courage

8thNo change

In the last playoff place, 2 points above Seattle Reign FC, with two to play.

San Diego Wave FC

2nd▲1 from 3rd

In the playoff places, 14 points above Seattle Reign FC, with two to play.

Season series

Matchday 21 Sat 12 Sep

San Diego Wave FC2

North Carolina Courage1

Matchday 25 Sat 17 Oct

North Carolina Courage1

San Diego Wave FC2

San Diego Wave FC took both meetings, 4–2 on aggregate.

Team stats

NC SD

Expected goals: North Carolina Courage: 1.23; San Diego Wave FC: 1.61
Possession: North Carolina Courage: 48%; San Diego Wave FC: 52%
Shots: North Carolina Courage: 13; San Diego Wave FC: 15
Corners: North Carolina Courage: 6; San Diego Wave FC: 1

NWSL table 2026

Standings →

NWSL table
#	Club	P	GD	Pts
1	Gotham FC	28	+13	55
2	San Diego Wave FC	28	+13	54
3	Washington Spirit	28	+14	52
4	Kansas City Current	28	+12	47
5	Utah Royals FC	28	+7	46
6	Angel City FC	27	+16	43
7	Portland Thorns FC	27	+6	43
8	North Carolina Courage	28	+10	42

After this result

By the numbers

San Diego Wave FC have 13 points from last 5 and are in form. 2.6 a match, against 1.9 all season. NWSL average 1.4.

San Diego Wave FC are 7 matches unbeaten. Last defeat: 0–1 at Seattle Reign FC, 6 September.

San Diego Wave FC have 31 goals conceded, the 3rd fewest in the NWSL. 1.0 a match. NWSL average 1.4.

San Diego Wave FC have 10 away wins from 15 away, and 8 from 15 at home. 2.1 points a match away, 1.7 at home.

The match on the pitch

North Carolina Courage: 48% possession; 96 possessions; 11% ended in a shot; 25% reached the box; 6.2 actions each
San Diego Wave FC: 52% possession; 92 possessions; 16% ended in a shot; 23% reached the box; 7.0 actions each

Where each team won the ball

North Carolina Courage

San Diego Wave FC

Where each possession began, both teams attacking right. North Carolina Courage started 12% of their possessions in the final third, San Diego Wave FC 9%.

Where the shots came from

North Carolina CourageSan Diego Wave FC

North Carolina Courage attack right, San Diego Wave FC left. A larger ringed dot is a goal. Own goals are not shots.

How each team moved the ball

North Carolina Courage

San Diego Wave FC

Passes between 20 zones, both teams attacking right. Forward moves in the team colour, backward moves dark, sideways moves pale; line weight is the share of the team’s passes.

How long possessions ran

North Carolina CourageSan Diego Wave FC

Share of possessions by number of actions.

Longer possessions shot more

North Carolina CourageSan Diego Wave FC

Of the possessions with each number of actions, the share that produced a shot. A gap marks too few possessions to rate.

Where play slowed down

North Carolina CourageSan Diego Wave FC

Mean seconds between one action and the next in the same possession, by where the action happened.

Every recorded action

Observed match events

Every action recorded in this match, where it happened: what was seen on the pitch, not a simulated path. 1,815 events in the record.

Period Minute 94 Only the 5 minutes up to it

North Carolina Courage attack right, San Diego Wave FC left. Passes are arrows to where they ended, dashed when not completed; a ringed start is a restart. A dot is a shot, a larger ringed dot a goal; a diamond is a take-on, a square a keeper action. Showing the whole match.

Choose an action on the pitch or in the list to see everything recorded about it.

69 events shown.

Events shown, in recorded order
Time	Player	Team
3:13	M. Barcenas	San Diego Wave FC
6:13	M. Van Zanten	San Diego Wave FC
7:24	P. Morroni	San Diego Wave FC
11:42	Sandra Paños	San Diego Wave FC
13:10	M. Barcenas	San Diego Wave FC
14:48	K. Ascanio	San Diego Wave FC
15:28	G. Paul	North Carolina Courage
15:30	G. Paul	North Carolina Courage
20:05	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
21:22	T. Byars	San Diego Wave FC
21:23	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
22:39	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
25:22	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
29:06	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
29:48	E. Ijeh	North Carolina Courage
31:21	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
31:56	P. Morroni	San Diego Wave FC
32:11	T. Byars	San Diego Wave FC
32:45	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
36:57	G. Corley	San Diego Wave FC

Page 1 of 4

Lineups

North Carolina CourageFormation 4-1-4-1

North Carolina Courage, 4-1-4-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 1 K. Sheridan. Line 1: 13 R. Williams, 4 N. Jacobs, 18 U. Shiragaki, 11 F. Rauch. Line 2: 20 S. Koyama. Line 3: 23 G. Paul, 19 E. Parkinson, 16 R. Jackson, 2 A. Sanchez. Line 4: 10 E. Ijeh.

North Carolina Courage lineup: 11 starters, then 5 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG
1	K. Sheridan	90	0	0	0.00
13	R. Williams	90	0	0	0.00
11	F. Rauch, off at 71′	71	0	0	0.22
20	S. Koyama	90	0	0	0.00
4	N. Jacobs, off at 85′	85	0	0	0.00
18	U. Shiragaki	90	0	0	0.00
23	G. Paul, off at 53′	53	0	0	0.03
19	E. Parkinson, off at 85′	85	0	0	0.05
10	E. Ijeh, off at 71′	71	0	0	0.17
16	R. Jackson	90	0	0	0.00
2	A. Sanchez	90	0	1	0.30
Substitutes
14	C. Wickenheiser, on at 85′	5	0	0	0.00
21	Bia, on at 53′	37	0	0	0.14
26	V. Bøe Risa, on at 71′	19	1	0	0.19
33	H. Betfort, on at 85′	5	0	0	0.14
36	E. Hase, on at 71′	19	0	0	0.00
Team			1	1	1.24

Unused: I. Younce, N. Staude, D. Weatherholt, M. White

All player stats

North Carolina Courage lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 9 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG	Sh	SOT	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
13	R. Williams	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	2	84%	2	3
11	F. Rauch, off at 71′	71	0	0	0.22	1	0	0	84%	0	0
20	S. Koyama	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	86%	1	1
4	N. Jacobs, off at 85′	85	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	89%	2	3
18	U. Shiragaki	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	92%	1	1
23	G. Paul, off at 53′	53	0	0	0.03	1	0	0	80%	0	1
19	E. Parkinson, off at 85′	85	0	0	0.05	1	1	0	78%	1	1
10	E. Ijeh, off at 71′	71	0	0	0.17	2	0	2	67%	0	0
16	R. Jackson	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	2	88%	2	0
2	A. Sanchez	90	0	1	0.30	4	2	2	67%	1	0
Substitutes
6	I. Younce	–
12	N. Staude	–
14	C. Wickenheiser, on at 85′	5	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	78%	0	0
17	D. Weatherholt	–
21	Bia, on at 53′	37	0	0	0.14	2	0	0	56%	3	2
26	V. Bøe Risa, on at 71′	19	1	0	0.19	1	1	2	75%	1	0
33	H. Betfort, on at 85′	5	0	0	0.14	1	0	0	–	0	0
36	E. Hase, on at 71′	19	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	89%	0	0
99	M. White	–
Team			1	1	1.24	13	4	10	83%	14	12

North Carolina Courage goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
1	K. Sheridan	90	3	5	60%	2	0

San Diego Wave FCFormation 4-2-3-1

San Diego Wave FC, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 12 S. Paños. Line 1: 16 M. Van Zanten, 2 K. Wesley, 14 K. McNabb, 75 P. Morroni. Line 2: 10 K. Dali, 8 K. Ascanio. Line 3: 7 M. Barcenas, 22 L. Godfrey, 11 G. Corley. Line 4: 15 T. Byars.

San Diego Wave FC lineup: 11 starters, then 5 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG
12	S. Paños	90	0	0	0.00
16	M. Van Zanten	90	0	0	0.04
75	P. Morroni	90	0	0	0.00
8	K. Ascanio, off at 80′	80	0	0	0.03
2	K. Wesley	90	0	0	0.00
14	K. McNabb	90	0	0	0.00
7	M. Barcenas, off at 79′	79	1	0	0.16
10	K. Dali	90	0	0	0.00
15	T. Byars, off at 63′	63	1	0	0.53
22	L. Godfrey, off at 63′	63	0	1	0.00
11	G. Corley, off at 85′	85	0	1	0.05
Substitutes
4	L. Harbert, on at 80′	10	0	0	0.00
6	B. Courtnall, on at 85′	5	0	0	0.00
17	Ludmila, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.51
18	L. Fazer, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.25
21	B. Bonansea, on at 79′	11	0	0	0.04
Team			2	2	1.61

Unused: D. Haračić, T. Wynalda, N. Harrison, G. Portilho

All player stats

San Diego Wave FC lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 9 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG	Sh	SOT	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
16	M. Van Zanten	90	0	0	0.04	1	0	2	78%	3	1
75	P. Morroni	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	81%	3	4
8	K. Ascanio, off at 80′	80	0	0	0.03	1	0	1	98%	1	0
2	K. Wesley	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	92%	0	1
14	K. McNabb	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	90%	0	2
7	M. Barcenas, off at 79′	79	1	0	0.16	2	1	2	93%	1	0
10	K. Dali	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	81%	1	0
15	T. Byars, off at 63′	63	1	0	0.53	3	2	0	80%	0	0
22	L. Godfrey, off at 63′	63	0	1	0.00	0	0	1	81%	1	1
11	G. Corley, off at 85′	85	0	1	0.05	1	0	4	84%	1	1
Substitutes
31	D. Haračić	–
4	L. Harbert, on at 80′	10	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	75%	0	0
6	B. Courtnall, on at 85′	5	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	100%	0	0
17	Ludmila, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.51	3	1	0	100%	0	0
18	L. Fazer, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.25	3	1	1	93%	0	0
19	T. Wynalda	–
21	B. Bonansea, on at 79′	11	0	0	0.04	1	0	0	75%	0	0
23	N. Harrison	–
81	G. Portilho	–
Team			2	2	1.61	15	5	13	87%	11	10