Wave FC tries to snap two match losing skid in final home match at Torero Stadium against Houston

Looking to snap a two-match losing streak, San Diego Wave FC looks to put a bookmark down on their 2022 NWSL season story on Saturday night. It’s a bookmark that marks the end of this chapter in this expansion club’s history that began back in May on the road and closes the first part of the book of their time playing at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego. The Wave closes out their three-match homestand by hosting the first ever club they faced in their inaugural match, the Houston Dash at 7pm on Twitch Global.

THE DROP IN (Last Match): A 23rd-minute penalty kick goal, a few unlucky bounces, and a red card at the end of the match undid the Wave last Saturday as they faltered for the second consecutive home match 1-0 to the Orlando Pride. San Diego’s back-to-back losses have dropped them from a tie for first place into fourth place (25) and currently trail the Portland Thorns by three points (28). Kailen Sheridan was assessed a Red Card at the end of the match on Saturday after voicing displeasure with the officiating crew. Wave FC head coach Casey Stoney said post-match of Sheridan’s red card “I didn’t know anything about it. I turned around and saw a red, and now I’ve got a goalkeeper crying her eyes out, absolutely devastated because she can’t even give any feedback.”

IMPACT ZONE (All-Time Series): San Diego leads Houston all-time 1-0-0 (3 Points). In the club’s inaugural regular season match on May 1st, Jodie Taylor came off the bench to score the first-ever regular season goal in Wave FC history which in turn lifted the club to its first-ever regular season victory in a 1-0 road win over the Dash at PNC Stadium.

2022 SAN DIEGO WAVE FC ROSTER:

Goalkeepers (3): Kailen Sheridan, Carly Telford, Melissa Lowder

Defenders (8): Abby Dahlkemper, Naomi Gima, Kaleigh Reihl, Tegan McGrady, Christen Westphal, Kayla Bruster, Mia Gyau, Taylor Hansen

Forwards (6): Amirah Ali, Jodie Taylor, Sofia Jakobsson, Alex Morgan, Makenzy Doniak, Katie Johnson

Midfielders (7): Emily van Egmond, Kelsey Turnbow, Kristen McNabb, Sydney Pulver, Taylor Kornieck, Belle Briede, Marleen Schimmer

ABOUT THE OPPONENT: HOUSTON DASH: The first ever regular season opponent in club history, the Houston Dash visit Torero Stadium to close this chapter in Wave FC history. Houston has surged into a tie for first place in the NWSL table with Portland at 28 Points. The Dash and Thorns are two points clear of Kansas City, three points ahead of San Diego, and four clear of the OL Reign. Houston is fresh off of a 2-1 victory last week at home over the NJ/NY Gotham and is currently riding a five-match unbeaten streak (4-0-1) heading into Saturday night’s match.

SHORE BREAK (Goalkeeping Matchup): Carly Telford will be expected to get the start in net for San Diego due to Kailen Sheridan’s red card sustained after the Orlando match last week. Telford appeared in three matches while Sheridan was away on international duty for Team Canada where she earned her first win of the season on July 3rd against Washington, started the first ever regular season match against SoCal rival Angel City FC on July 9th, and made a humongous Penalty Kick save against Louisville on July 15th. Jane Campbell has started 15 of the 16 matches Houston has played this season making 42 saves and holding a 1.13 Goals Against Average.

HISPANIC HERITAGE NIGHT: Per a media release sent out by Wave FC’s Communications team,

San Diego Wave Fútbol Club is thrilled to announce Hispanic Heritage Night on Saturday, August 20, presented by XEWT Channel 12 Televisa with a portion of the ticket proceeds benefiting the Chicano Federation. The club will celebrate the diverse Hispanic cultures of San Diego and neighboring cities.

Under the theme of Una Ola (“One Wave”), the night’s festivities will kick off with a headband giveaway at the gate and include limited-edition merchandise, food from Daggos, and Belindas, a colorful plaza, and live mariachi music from Mariachi Del Mar. There will also be public addresses in both Spanish and English.

Prior to the match, the club will present a donation check to the Chicano Federation on-field. The Chicano Federation has been at the forefront of equity and access in its communities for over 50 years, providing social services, childcare, workforce development, affordable housing, and more. Wave FC will also honor influential Hispanic leaders from the San Diego community.

OFFSHORE VIEWING (Where To Watch): Saturday’s match will take place at 7pm Pacific Time from Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego. Limited tickets remain available on sandiegowavefc.com. Fans who cannot make the game on Sunday can watch it live on Twitch.

QUOTES (courtesy of the Wave FC Communications team)

Wave FC Head Coach Casey Stoney on Saturday’s match against Houston: “Obviously, we need to react and bounce back from two defeats, which we know we are more than capable of. Houston are in great form, we’ve seen that with their run of results that they’ve had. They’ve got real threats in their top areas, but they’ve also got chinks in their armor as well that I think we can exploit. So I am feeling really positive about the group this week, their reaction, the way they’ve bounced, and like I said at the post-match last week, we did not perform badly. We performed very well in certain moments. We created so many chances, it is now about being ruthless in the final third. I’m really looking forward to this game, it’s going to be an exciting one and a good matchup for both teams. Hopefully, it will be a good game for the fans.”

Casey Stoney on the importance of securing 3 points: “Every game has been a big test for us this season. We are still growing and developing and so early in our existence. Every team is a big test, every game is difficult in this league, and every game is an even matchup. We know we’ve got a fantastic team in our locker room, we need to bring our very, very best game to make sure we have a chance of winning on the weekend.”

Wave FC Jodie Taylor on the match on Saturday: “Huge game this weekend, we know that. Being back home, it is really important for us to get the win and three points. We are at that stage of the season now where every point counts and is crucial. The preparation is going really well, we know what we have to do and what to improve on coming into this weekend to pick up some points.”

Jodie Taylor on being back from injury: “It feels really good to be back. It is never easy being out with injury, although injuries are part of the game. I am super happy to be back with the team and to be able to play any role that is asked of me. It’s just nice to be out there and help support and hopefully help raise the level of the team. We need to get back to winning ways, and I have no doubt that we will.” 

Wave FC Forward Amirah Ali on getting back to full fitness: “It is something that has been a work in progress this entire season. We are still continuing to work on it and hopefully, we can start getting towards more minutes, but I am ready to do anything for the team to be successful. We are getting there.”

Amirah Ali on the club moving to Snapdragon Stadium: “We are completely excited. The field looks amazing, the whole atmosphere is going to be absolutely great. I know our fans are always behind us 100% and you can see it at Torero. I doubt that’ll change at Snapdragon. I am excited to go out there and see the crowd behind us. I am excited to keep showing San Diego what we have.”

OH SNAP! Wave FC officially moves into their new digs, Snapdragon Stadium on September 17th to host SoCal rival Angel City FC at 7pm. Snapdragon Stadium is San Diego’s newest expertly-designed sports venue with optimized viewing and new VIP experiences. Located on the campus of San Diego State University at Mission Valley, Snapdragon will feature a unique array of food and beverages, including coastal-inspired cuisine and game day favorites. When not in use for sporting events, Snapdragon will serve as a year-round entertainment destination and community hub for San Diego with concerts, festivals, and more.