San Diego Wave FC 2–1 Washington Spirit, NWSL Matchday 8

San Diego Wave FC v Washington Spirit

San Diego Wave FC1st 21 pts

T. Byars 7′
K. Ascanio 89′

2

2–1

Full time

Fri 15 May

Expected goals: San Diego Wave FC 0.77, Washington Spirit 0.85

Washington Spirit3rd 18 pts

R. Bernal 33′

1

Fri 15 May, 10:00 pm EDT Snapdragon Stadium NWSL 2026, Matchday 8

The match story

Croix Bethune portrait — Courtesy Kansas City Current

NWSL News

Croix Bethune set the NWSL single-season assist record against Washington

Her 17th-minute pass to Vanessa DiBernardo produced Kansas City’s winning goal; Bethune had matched the previous mark as a Spirit rookie in 2024.

3 November 2026

Key moments

7′Goal T. Byars (San Diego Wave FC)1–0
33′Goal R. Bernal (Washington Spirit)1–1
89′Goal K. Ascanio (San Diego Wave FC)2–1

Top performers

San Diego Wave

K. AscanioMSDshirt 81G1SH
T. ByarsFSDshirt 151G1SH
K. DaliMSDshirt 100G2SH

Washington Spirit

R. BernalMWASshirt 41G1SH
T. RodmanMWASshirt 20G2SH
H. HershfeltMWASshirt 170G1SH

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

What it means

San Diego Wave FC

1st▲2 from 3rd

In the playoff places, 11 points above Bay FC, with 20 to play.

Washington Spirit

3rd▼1 from 2nd

In the playoff places, 8 points above Bay FC, with 20 to play.

Season series

Matchday 8 Fri 15 May

San Diego Wave FC2

Washington Spirit1

Matchday 15 Sun 2 Aug

Washington Spirit0

San Diego Wave FC1

San Diego Wave FC took both meetings, 3–1 on aggregate.

Team stats

SD WAS

Expected goals: San Diego Wave FC: 0.77; Washington Spirit: 0.85
Possession: San Diego Wave FC: 42%; Washington Spirit: 58%
Shots: San Diego Wave FC: 9; Washington Spirit: 7
Corners: San Diego Wave FC: 3; Washington Spirit: 6

NWSL table 2026

Standings →

NWSL table
#	Club	P	GD	Pts
1	San Diego Wave FC	10	+5	21
2	Portland Thorns FC	9	+6	19
3	Washington Spirit	10	+8	18
4	Utah Royals FC	9	+6	17
5	Gotham FC	9	+4	15
6	Kansas City Current	9	−1	15
7	Orlando Pride	9	0	11
8	Seattle Reign FC	8	−1	11

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.

Washington Spirit have 28 goals conceded, the 2nd fewest in the NWSL. 0.9 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.

Every recorded action

Match events are not available right now.

Lineups

San Diego Wave FCFormation 4-2-3-1

San Diego Wave FC, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 31 D. Haračić. 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: 81 G. Portilho, 11 G. Corley, 88 Dudinha. 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
31	D. Haračić	90	0	0	0.00
16	M. Van Zanten	90	0	0	0.16
75	P. Morroni	90	0	0	0.00
8	K. Ascanio	90	1	0	0.11
2	K. Wesley	90	0	0	0.00
14	K. McNabb	90	0	0	0.04
81	G. Portilho, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.00
10	K. Dali	90	0	1	0.10
15	T. Byars, off at 46′	45	1	0	0.13
11	G. Corley, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.05
88	Dudinha, off at 89′	89	0	0	0.00
Substitutes
19	T. Wynalda, on at 89′	1	0	0	0.00
22	L. Godfrey, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.10
7	M. Barcenas, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.00
17	Ludmila, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.07
Team			2	1	0.77

Unused: L. Agudelo, D. Arias, K. Pickett, J. Fusco, L. Fazer

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	0.16	1	0	1	72%	1	1
75	P. Morroni	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	80%	6	0
8	K. Ascanio	90	1	0	0.11	1	1	1	77%	3	2
2	K. Wesley	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	83%	0	1
14	K. McNabb	90	0	0	0.04	1	1	0	77%	0	0
81	G. Portilho, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	63%	0	0
10	K. Dali	90	0	1	0.10	2	1	1	85%	0	1
15	T. Byars, off at 46′	45	1	0	0.13	1	1	1	78%	0	0
11	G. Corley, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.05	1	0	0	58%	0	1
88	Dudinha, off at 89′	89	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	75%	3	2
Substitutes
1	L. Agudelo	–
30	D. Arias	–
33	K. Pickett	–
28	J. Fusco	–
18	L. Fazer	–
19	T. Wynalda, on at 89′	1	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	0%	1	0
22	L. Godfrey, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.10	1	0	1	70%	0	0
7	M. Barcenas, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	77%	3	1
17	Ludmila, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.07	1	0	0	50%	0	0
Team			2	1	0.77	9	4	6	78%	17	9

San Diego Wave FC goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
31	D. Haračić	90	3	4	75%	1	0

Washington SpiritFormation 4-2-3-1

Washington Spirit, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 18 S. MacIver. Line 1: 13 L. Di Guglielmo, 9 T. Rudd, 24 E. Morgan, 14 G. Carle. Line 2: 4 R. Bernal, 17 H. Hershfelt. Line 3: 2 T. Rodman, 10 L. Santos, 11 C. Martínez. Line 4: 27 S. Cantore.

Washington Spirit 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
18	S. MacIver	90	0	0	0.00
13	L. Di Guglielmo, off at 90+4′	90	0	0	0.00
14	G. Carle, off at 90+4′	90	0	0	0.00
17	H. Hershfelt	90	0	–	–
9	T. Rudd	90	0	0	0.05
24	E. Morgan	90	0	0	0.00
2	T. Rodman	90	0	0	0.32
4	R. Bernal, off at 66′	66	1	0	0.13
27	S. Cantore, off at 74′	74	0	0	0.00
10	L. Santos	90	0	1	0.27
11	C. Martínez, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.00
Substitutes
6	K. Wiesner, on at 90+4′	1	0	0	0.03
12	A. Sullivan, on at 66′	24	0	0	0.00
16	T. Bolt, on at 90+4′	1	0	–	–
19	R. Kouassi, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.00
21	G. Monday, on at 74′	16	0	0	0.00
Team			1	1	0.85

Unused: K. Collins, É. Tsé, P. Metayer, M. Haugen

All player stats

Washington Spirit 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	L. Di Guglielmo, off at 90+4′	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	81%	4	0
14	G. Carle, off at 90+4′	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	83%	0	1
17	H. Hershfelt	90	0	–	–	1	–	0	88%	0	1
9	T. Rudd	90	0	0	0.05	1	0	0	87%	0	2
24	E. Morgan	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	90%	0	2
2	T. Rodman	90	0	0	0.32	2	1	0	60%	2	2
4	R. Bernal, off at 66′	66	1	0	0.13	1	1	0	97%	1	1
27	S. Cantore, off at 74′	74	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	89%	1	0
10	L. Santos	90	0	1	0.27	1	1	2	68%	0	1
11	C. Martínez, off at 46′	45	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	67%	0	0
Substitutes
31	K. Collins	–
5	É. Tsé	–
6	K. Wiesner, on at 90+4′	1	0	0	0.03	1	0	0	–	0	0
12	A. Sullivan, on at 66′	24	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	83%	0	1
16	T. Bolt, on at 90+4′	1	0	–	–	0	–	0	100%	0	0
19	R. Kouassi, on at 46′	45	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	71%	3	0
21	G. Monday, on at 74′	16	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	71%	0	0
26	P. Metayer	–
35	M. Haugen	–
Team			1	1	0.85	7	4	5	85%	12	11