San Diego Wave FC 2–1 North Carolina Courage, NWSL Matchday 21

San Diego Wave FC v North Carolina Courage

San Diego Wave FC3rd 42 pts

G. Corley 23′
M. Barcenas 72′

2

2–1

Full time

Sat 12 Sep

Expected goals: San Diego Wave FC 0.84, North Carolina Courage 1.02

North Carolina Courage4th 39 pts

A. Sanchez 82′

1

Sat 12 Sep, 6:30 pm EDT Snapdragon Stadium NWSL 2026, Matchday 21

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

23′Goal G. Corley (San Diego Wave FC)1–0
72′Goal M. Barcenas (San Diego Wave FC)2–0
82′Goal A. Sanchez (North Carolina Courage)2–1

Top performers

San Diego Wave

M. BarcenasMSDshirt 71G2SH
G. CorleyMSDshirt 111G1SH
L. GodfreyMSDshirt 220G2SH

North Carolina Courage

A. SanchezMNCshirt 21G3SH
C. OkaforMNCshirt 80G3SH
R. WilliamsDNCshirt 130G2SH

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

What it means

San Diego Wave FC

3rd▲2 from 5th

In the playoff places, 9 points above Angel City FC, with six to play.

North Carolina Courage

4th▼1 from 3rd

In the playoff places, 6 points above Angel City FC, with six 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

SD NC

Expected goals: San Diego Wave FC: 0.84; North Carolina Courage: 1.02
Possession: San Diego Wave FC: 52%; North Carolina Courage: 48%
Shots: San Diego Wave FC: 9; North Carolina Courage: 12
Corners: San Diego Wave FC: 1; North Carolina Courage: 3

NWSL table 2026

Standings →

NWSL table
#	Club	P	GD	Pts
1	Gotham FC	24	+11	48
2	Washington Spirit	23	+13	43
3	San Diego Wave FC	24	+7	42
4	North Carolina Courage	24	+12	39
5	Utah Royals FC	23	+10	39
6	Kansas City Current	24	+5	38
7	Portland Thorns FC	23	+5	38
8	Seattle Reign FC	22	+1	34

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

San Diego Wave FC: 52% possession; 106 possessions; 8% ended in a shot; 14% reached the box; 6.2 actions each
North Carolina Courage: 48% possession; 104 possessions; 10% ended in a shot; 22% reached the box; 5.8 actions each

Where each team won the ball

San Diego Wave FC

North Carolina Courage

Where each possession began, both teams attacking right. San Diego Wave FC started 11% of their possessions in the final third, North Carolina Courage 9%.

Where the shots came from

San Diego Wave FCNorth Carolina Courage

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

How each team moved the ball

San Diego Wave FC

North Carolina Courage

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

San Diego Wave FCNorth Carolina Courage

Share of possessions by number of actions.

Longer possessions shot more

San Diego Wave FCNorth Carolina Courage

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

San Diego Wave FCNorth Carolina Courage

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. 1,915 events in the record.

Period Minute 94 Only the 5 minutes up to it

San Diego Wave FC attack right, North Carolina Courage 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.

60 events shown.

Events shown, in recorded order
Time	Player	Team
3:34	M. Barcenas	San Diego Wave FC
3:38	M. Barcenas	San Diego Wave FC
5:13	Sandra Paños	San Diego Wave FC
5:32	Sandra Paños	San Diego Wave FC
6:00	T. Byars	San Diego Wave FC
10:35	T. Byars	San Diego Wave FC
11:36	B. Courtnall	San Diego Wave FC
12:10	E. Parkinson	North Carolina Courage
12:18	R. Williams	North Carolina Courage
12:19	Sandra Paños	San Diego Wave FC
16:11	K. Dali	San Diego Wave FC
16:11	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
18:41	C. Okafor	North Carolina Courage
20:53	C. Okafor	North Carolina Courage
22:17	G. Corley	San Diego Wave FC
23:57	C. Okafor	North Carolina Courage
24:33	K. Dali	San Diego Wave FC
25:32	K. Dali	San Diego Wave FC
28:44	Sandra Paños	San Diego Wave FC
29:11	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage

Page 1 of 3

Lineups

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: 6 B. Courtnall, 2 K. Wesley, 14 K. McNabb, 75 P. Morroni. Line 2: 8 K. Ascanio, 10 K. Dali. Line 3: 7 M. Barcenas, 22 L. Godfrey, 11 G. Corley. Line 4: 15 T. Byars.

San Diego Wave FC lineup: 11 starters, then 4 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
6	B. Courtnall	90	0	0	0.00
75	P. Morroni	90	0	0	0.00
10	K. Dali	90	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 90+3′	90	1	0	0.13
8	K. Ascanio, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.28
15	T. Byars, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.12
22	L. Godfrey	90	0	0	0.17
11	G. Corley, off at 63′	63	1	0	0.10
Substitutes
23	N. Harrison, on at 90+3′	1	0	0	0.00
9	A. Leon, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.00
18	L. Fazer, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.00
4	L. Harbert, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.00
Team			2	0	0.84

Unused: D. Haračić, T. Wynalda, G. Portilho, Ludmila

All player stats

San Diego Wave FC lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 8 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG	Sh	SOT	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
6	B. Courtnall	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	67%	1	3
75	P. Morroni	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	75%	1	2
10	K. Dali	90	0	0	0.03	1	1	0	90%	1	2
2	K. Wesley	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	94%	0	1
14	K. McNabb	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	91%	1	0
7	M. Barcenas, off at 90+3′	90	1	0	0.13	2	1	2	68%	2	0
8	K. Ascanio, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.28	1	0	0	89%	0	0
15	T. Byars, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.12	2	1	1	71%	0	1
22	L. Godfrey	90	0	0	0.17	2	1	1	67%	3	0
11	G. Corley, off at 63′	63	1	0	0.10	1	1	2	73%	0	1
Substitutes
31	D. Haračić	–
23	N. Harrison, on at 90+3′	1	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	–	0	0
19	T. Wynalda	–
9	A. Leon, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	67%	0	0
81	G. Portilho	–
18	L. Fazer, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	67%	0	0
4	L. Harbert, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	89%	2	1
17	Ludmila	–
Team			2	0	0.84	9	5	7	83%	11	11

San Diego Wave FC goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
12	S. Paños	90	5	6	83%	1	0

North Carolina CourageFormation 4-2-3-1

North Carolina Courage, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 1 K. Sheridan. Line 1: 13 R. Williams, 12 N. Staude, 18 U. Shiragaki, 11 F. Rauch. Line 2: 26 V. Bøe Risa, 19 E. Parkinson. Line 3: 8 C. Okafor, 20 S. Koyama, 2 A. Sanchez. Line 4: 10 E. Ijeh.

North Carolina Courage lineup: 11 starters, then 4 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	0.15
11	F. Rauch, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.03
19	E. Parkinson	90	0	0	0.08
12	N. Staude, off at 90′	90	0	0	0.00
18	U. Shiragaki	90	0	0	0.00
8	C. Okafor, off at 63′	63	0	0	0.42
26	V. Bøe Risa, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.00
10	E. Ijeh	90	0	0	0.04
20	S. Koyama	90	0	1	0.00
2	A. Sanchez	90	1	0	0.26
Substitutes
14	C. Wickenheiser, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.00
17	D. Weatherholt, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.00
21	Bia, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.05
33	H. Betfort, on at 90′	1	0	0	0.00
Team			1	1	1.03

Unused: M. White, C. Brooks, I. Younce, O. Wingate, O. Peña

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	0.15	2	1	1	82%	3	2
11	F. Rauch, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.03	1	0	0	74%	1	3
19	E. Parkinson	90	0	0	0.08	1	0	2	83%	0	2
12	N. Staude, off at 90′	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	98%	2	0
18	U. Shiragaki	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	91%	1	0
8	C. Okafor, off at 63′	63	0	0	0.42	3	1	1	81%	3	1
26	V. Bøe Risa, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	90%	0	2
10	E. Ijeh	90	0	0	0.04	1	1	0	59%	0	0
20	S. Koyama	90	0	1	0.00	0	0	2	83%	3	1
2	A. Sanchez	90	1	0	0.26	3	2	0	53%	3	0
Substitutes
99	M. White	–
5	C. Brooks	–
6	I. Younce	–
9	O. Wingate	–
14	C. Wickenheiser, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	71%	0	0
17	D. Weatherholt, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	100%	0	0
21	Bia, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.05	1	1	0	33%	0	0
33	H. Betfort, on at 90′	1	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	–	0	0
80	O. Peña	–
Team			1	1	1.03	12	6	7	82%	16	11