San Diego Wave FC 4–2 Utah Royals FC, NWSL Matchday 18

San Diego Wave FC v Utah Royals FC

San Diego Wave FC4th 36 pts

T. Byars 4′, 63′
M. Barcenas 40′
Ludmila 70′

4

4–2

Full time

Fri 21 Aug

Expected goals: San Diego Wave FC 2.33, Utah Royals FC 1.26

Utah Royals FC3rd 36 pts

M. Tanaka 29′, 47′

2

Fri 21 Aug, 10:00 pm EDT Snapdragon Stadium NWSL 2026, Matchday 18

Key moments

4′Goal T. Byars (San Diego Wave FC)1–0
29′Goal M. Tanaka (Utah Royals FC)1–1
40′Goal M. Barcenas (San Diego Wave FC)2–1
47′Goal M. Tanaka (Utah Royals FC)2–2
63′Goal T. Byars (San Diego Wave FC)3–2
70′Goal Ludmila (San Diego Wave FC)4–2

Top performers

San Diego Wave

T. ByarsFSDshirt 152G3SH
LudmilaFSDshirt 171G2SH
M. BarcenasFSDshirt 71G1SH

Utah Royals

M. TanakaMUTAshirt 112G3SH
C. DelzerFUTAshirt 50G4SH
P. CroninMUTAshirt 40G2SH

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

What it means

San Diego Wave FC

4th▲1 from 5th

In the playoff places, 10 points above Houston Dash, with nine to play.

Utah Royals FC

3rdNo change

In the playoff places, 10 points above Houston Dash, with nine to play.

Season series

Matchday 2 Sun 22 Mar

Utah Royals FC1

San Diego Wave FC2

Matchday 18 Fri 21 Aug

San Diego Wave FC4

Utah Royals FC2

San Diego Wave FC took both meetings, 6–3 on aggregate.

Team stats

SD UTA

Expected goals: San Diego Wave FC: 2.33; Utah Royals FC: 1.26
Possession: San Diego Wave FC: 46%; Utah Royals FC: 54%
Shots: San Diego Wave FC: 13; Utah Royals FC: 14
Corners: San Diego Wave FC: 2; Utah Royals FC: 5

NWSL table 2026

Standings →

NWSL table
#	Club	P	GD	Pts
1	Gotham FC	20	+13	43
2	Washington Spirit	20	+12	37
3	Utah Royals FC	21	+10	36
4	San Diego Wave FC	21	+6	36
5	Portland Thorns FC	20	+5	34
6	North Carolina Courage	19	+5	30
7	Kansas City Current	20	+3	30
8	Seattle Reign FC	19	−1	27

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.

Utah Royals FC have gone 4 without a win. Last win: 2–1 v North Carolina Courage, 27 September.

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

The match on the pitch

San Diego Wave FC: 46% possession; 107 possessions; 11% ended in a shot; 15% reached the box; 4.2 actions each
Utah Royals FC: 54% possession; 107 possessions; 11% ended in a shot; 28% reached the box; 4.7 actions each

Where each team won the ball

San Diego Wave FC

Utah Royals FC

Where each possession began, both teams attacking right. San Diego Wave FC started 3% of their possessions in the final third, Utah Royals FC 14%.

Where the shots came from

San Diego Wave FCUtah Royals FC

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

How each team moved the ball

San Diego Wave FC

Utah Royals 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

San Diego Wave FCUtah Royals FC

Share of possessions by number of actions.

Longer possessions shot more

San Diego Wave FCUtah Royals 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

San Diego Wave FCUtah Royals 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. 1,719 events in the record.

Period Minute 96 Only the 5 minutes up to it

San Diego Wave FC attack right, Utah Royals 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.

66 events shown.

Events shown, in recorded order
Time	Player	Team
2:19	Ludmila	San Diego Wave FC
3:29	T. Byars	San Diego Wave FC
7:38	M. McGlynn	Utah Royals FC
8:35	Sandra Paños	San Diego Wave FC
9:36	T. Byars	San Diego Wave FC
10:27	Nuria Rábano	Utah Royals FC
10:34	M. Tanaka	Utah Royals FC
14:00	T. Byars	San Diego Wave FC
14:13	Ludmila	San Diego Wave FC
14:20	M. McGlynn	Utah Royals FC
15:19	L. Godfrey	San Diego Wave FC
18:56	Sandra Paños	San Diego Wave FC
19:18	L. Godfrey	San Diego Wave FC
19:42	M. Van Zanten	San Diego Wave FC
21:07	Sandra Paños	San Diego Wave FC
23:59	M. Tanaka	Utah Royals FC
24:05	Sandra Paños	San Diego Wave FC
24:29	P. Cronin	Utah Royals FC
24:53	P. Cronin	Utah Royals FC
25:17	Sandra Paños	San Diego Wave FC

Page 1 of 4

Lineups

San Diego Wave FCFormation 4-3-3

San Diego Wave FC, 4-3-3, 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: 18 L. Fazer, 4 L. Harbert, 22 L. Godfrey. Line 3: 7 M. Barcenas, 17 Ludmila, 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
16	M. Van Zanten	90	0	0	0.25
75	P. Morroni, off at 72′	72	0	0	0.00
4	L. Harbert, off at 62′	62	0	0	0.22
2	K. Wesley	90	0	0	0.00
14	K. McNabb	90	0	0	0.00
18	L. Fazer	90	0	0	0.13
22	L. Godfrey	90	0	0	0.04
17	Ludmila	90	1	0	0.37
7	M. Barcenas, off at 88′	88	1	1	0.15
15	T. Byars, off at 72′	72	2	2	1.12
Substitutes
6	B. Courtnall, on at 72′	18	0	0	0.00
28	J. Fusco, on at 62′	28	0	1	0.00
9	A. Leon, on at 72′	18	0	0	0.00
81	G. Portilho, on at 88′	2	0	0	0.07
Team			4	4	2.34

Unused: L. Agudelo, N. Harrison, T. Wynalda

All player stats

San Diego Wave FC lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 7 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	0.25	1	0	2	74%	3	1
75	P. Morroni, off at 72′	72	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	82%	2	3
4	L. Harbert, off at 62′	62	0	0	0.22	2	0	0	78%	2	1
2	K. Wesley	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	73%	1	1
14	K. McNabb	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	75%	1	1
18	L. Fazer	90	0	0	0.13	2	0	1	65%	0	0
22	L. Godfrey	90	0	0	0.04	1	0	1	77%	0	0
17	Ludmila	90	1	0	0.37	2	2	2	56%	1	1
7	M. Barcenas, off at 88′	88	1	1	0.15	1	1	2	91%	0	2
15	T. Byars, off at 72′	72	2	2	1.12	3	2	2	70%	1	0
Substitutes
1	L. Agudelo	–
6	B. Courtnall, on at 72′	18	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	67%	2	0
28	J. Fusco, on at 62′	28	0	1	0.00	0	0	1	70%	0	0
23	N. Harrison	–
9	A. Leon, on at 72′	18	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	0%	0	0
81	G. Portilho, on at 88′	2	0	0	0.07	1	0	0	100%	0	0
19	T. Wynalda	–
Team			4	4	2.34	13	5	12	73%	13	10

San Diego Wave FC goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
12	S. Paños	90	1	3	33%	2	0

Utah Royals FCFormation 4-2-3-1

Utah Royals FC, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 1 M. McGlynn. Line 1: 22 M. Moriya, 8 K. Del Fava, 18 K. Riehl, 14 N. Rábano. Line 2: 17 A. Tejada, 10 N. Miura. Line 3: 4 P. Cronin, 11 M. Tanaka, 24 C. Lacasse. Line 4: 5 C. Delzer.

Utah Royals 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
1	M. McGlynn	90	0	0	0.00
22	M. Moriya	90	0	0	0.06
14	N. Rábano	90	0	0	0.00
10	N. Miura	90	0	0	0.06
8	K. Del Fava	90	0	0	0.00
18	K. Riehl, off at 74′	74	0	0	0.00
4	P. Cronin, off at 64′	64	0	0	0.06
17	A. Tejada, off at 75′	75	0	0	0.00
5	C. Delzer	90	0	1	0.34
11	M. Tanaka	90	2	0	0.36
24	C. Lacasse, off at 90+1′	90	0	1	0.00
Substitutes
2	T. Milazzo, on at 74′	16	0	0	0.24
21	K. Palacios, on at 64′	26	0	0	0.09
30	A. Spaanstra, on at 90+1′	1	0	0	0.00
99	M. Hammond, on at 75′	15	0	0	0.06
Team			2	2	1.27

Unused: K. Simmonds, B. Mozingo, D. Pierre-Louis, C. Brown, M. Justus

All player stats

Utah Royals 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
22	M. Moriya	90	0	0	0.06	1	0	0	75%	1	4
14	N. Rábano	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	2	74%	0	1
10	N. Miura	90	0	0	0.06	1	0	0	84%	2	3
8	K. Del Fava	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	91%	2	1
18	K. Riehl, off at 74′	74	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	87%	2	1
4	P. Cronin, off at 64′	64	0	0	0.06	2	0	1	55%	3	0
17	A. Tejada, off at 75′	75	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	71%	2	3
5	C. Delzer	90	0	1	0.34	4	0	2	69%	1	2
11	M. Tanaka	90	2	0	0.36	3	2	4	53%	1	1
24	C. Lacasse, off at 90+1′	90	0	1	0.00	0	0	1	63%	0	1
Substitutes
2	T. Milazzo, on at 74′	16	0	0	0.24	1	0	0	100%	1	0
6	K. Simmonds	–
13	B. Mozingo	–
15	D. Pierre-Louis	–
16	C. Brown	–
21	K. Palacios, on at 64′	26	0	0	0.09	1	0	1	33%	1	0
23	M. Justus	–
30	A. Spaanstra, on at 90+1′	1	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	–	0	0
99	M. Hammond, on at 75′	15	0	0	0.06	1	0	0	50%	0	0
Team			2	2	1.27	14	2	11	75%	16	17